The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1912-11-02
TO ALL VOTERS

49,
the people for adoption or r.ia,
ton, Will, if adopted, mark ON. ~
the greatest forward stena IN IN.
history OF Louis lana In the firm
belief that their defeat Wonld nros.
a most serious check TO the stat.x
prosperity, and would continue IN
effect the many iujustices OF tho
present tax laws, We earpest!v in
Vite your cooperation and your vol.
to secure their adoption.
AS reasons for your so doing, ~
submit the following
tirst-Undsr the plan propo.oJ
your lands, Improvements and non.
sonality VIII pay no take. to The
State. The revenues for the STATE
will be deprived chiefly from taxes on
railroads, banks, mines, inheritance
and some other subjects seslepated
for that purpose.
Hence, all taxes TO 10 paid by Won
will be COLLECTED an, spent locally
under your supervision, Tor the main
tenance OF order and the euchan,a-
ment of the property, OF yourself and
your neighbors
Second-It is shown by officia!
reports that some parishes assess
properly on the basis more than
twice as great as do other Parishes:
SO that a dollar of value III the one
pays more than twice as great a tax
to the State as does the same value
in the other Parish. For example,
mule in one Parish is assessed at
$4,000, while his twin brother across
the Parish line may be assessed at
$4,000 or less. Put in another form
if the owner OF the latte. pays the
State six mill tax, the owner of
the former really pays twelve mills
or more.
The same is equally true as to your
lands and other property.
Under the proposed plan you will
pay nothing to the State nd the
assessments in other Parishes will
not effect you.
Third-The taxes which may be
imposed on your property will be
limited by the Constitution and can
not be raised beyond the aggregate
now permitted.
FOurth-Assessments are now made
alphabetically, and there is little
opportunity to compare ones assess
ments with his neighbours. The new
plan will arrange assessments geo.
gre phically; that is, properties ada
cent on the ground will be adjacent
on the rolls. These rolls will be
published in pamphlets for distribu-
ton, and inequalities and errors will
be readily corrected.
Fifth-At present all money is SUBJ
ject to taxation; and while the ASSESS
ment rolls show that very little
money is actually taxed, the attempt
to do SO is unfair to the few who
list their money in obedience to the
law, and besides, induce a constant
concealment of money from the
assessor as though it were contra
band. The amendments exempt all
monies from taxation, thus inviting
it into the State, making it more plen-
tiful, and tending to give our people
lower rates Of interest. The prevail
ing high interest rates In Louisiana
are among the greatest drawbacks to
the prosperity of our farmers and Of
our industries.
Sfxth-At present nearly all occu-
pations are subject to State license
taxes, which are so graded .Ls bear
most heavily on the man of small
capital and small earnings. Under
the proposed plan, the State can levy
no license taxes save on liquor deal
ers and occup.t' .ns requiring police
regulation. Even the local bodies, as
to other than licenses permitted
the State, are SO conditioned as to
license taxation that these will nor
ordinarily be resorted to.
Seventh-Governor Hall, in his
address at Alexandria, before the
Tax Reform Convention, on Sept q,
called attention to the fact that one
after another of the gubernatoria)
candidates had pledged the people
either reduction of tax rates or an
equalization of assessments, but upon
entering upon the duties of office it
was found practically impossible to
keep these promises. The necessl
ties of the State conditions surround
ing the present -"evented the accom-
plishment of any reform worthy of
the name. In consequence, taxes
have continued to grow more burden
some where already too heavy He
then called attention to the present
effort to reform the whole taxing sys-
tenn Of the State to tighten this bur-
den, concluding with the statement:
This State will need, in 1914, the
sum of $5OOO,O0O in order to meet