The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1912-11-05
DR.. MOSS GIVES HIS REASONS FOR
SUPPORTING AMENDMENT NO, |,

the success and prosperity of every
business enterprise, including banks,
railroads, etc., depends in the end up
on the farmer and the producing
class, and everybody from the presi-
dent of the United State down are
riding upon the back of the man who
is the only real producer of wealth
the tiller of the soil and his kind.
Tax Amendment No. l is undoubt-
edly law or public measure of that
character.
Under the New Tax Plan the city
and parish of Lafayette will be able
to cancel their necessary and proper
contribution toward the support of
the State government by surrender
ing to the State certain taxable prop
erty situated within their territorial
limits, instead oy paying that contri-
button in the form Of six mills on all
of the taxable property within their
bounds every year, as is the case
now. And the city and parish of La
fayette will not only not lose any
thing by the operation but will actu-
ally secure substantial gain by the
exchange. The parish will gain
$l4,631.79 in revenue without any in
crease whatever in the present rate
of assessment and taxation. The city
of Lafayette will be reimbursed by
the State for the immediate loss of
about $4,000 it will sustain. Another
gain for the city and parish would be
absolute home rule hereafter in
the matter of assessment and taxa
ton for local government. The re-
lief Of having to pay toll to the State
any longer and Of being able to leave
the State out of our calculations in
the fixing of our assessment and rate
of taxation would be of the highest
advantage to us. And still another
benefit Of far-reaching effect the city
and parish of Lafayette would enjoy
under the segregation plan, because
OF having a state institution within
their bounds, is large and sufficient
appropriations for the adequate sup
port of the Southwestern Louisiana
Industrial Institute, which is unques-
tionably one of the greatest forces in
our midst for the uplift and advance
ment of our people, aside from it's
very positive value as a business as
set Although the Industrial Institute
obtained an appropriation from the
last Legislature of $4,000 a year for
two years. this amount is far less
than is needed by this institution to
enable it to do its best work among
our people and the people of South
west Louisiana.
We cannot reasonably expect an in
crease in future appropriations for
the Industrial Institute unless the
revenues of the State become larger
than at present. Under the segrega-
ton plan the revenues of the State
would be substantially increased from
the taxation levied on new sources of
revenue alone: and except if it be
done in this way the State will be
compelled to resort to sharp raise
in the assessment of all taxable prop
erty under our present system of pro-
viding revenue to meet the
growing expenses and Obligations
Of the State This would
nean the payment of more tax
es by everybody than we are already
paying, and this is exactly what will
happen if Amendment No. l be not
adopted on November 5th. Thus it is
clear that the people of Louisiana
will pay more taxes in the future un-
der the present system of assessment
and taxation instead of paying less
taxes. as would he the case under the
segregation plan.
The proposed New Tax Plan repre-
sents the most thoughtful labor of a
large number of Louisiana's most in
telligent and patriotic citizens, COW
ering a term of years, and it is based
upon the enlightened system of taxa
tion in operation in at least nine
States in this country, dating back to