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


TO the Editor Of the Times Democrat
The attacking party appears to
have abandoned the field Of fact No
one denies now that if the tax amend
ment is adopted New Orleans viii
make an all arounS Gain If 4 mill
less taxes to the individual ,aSpavpr.
OF Ia mills loss taNes II segregated
property, and, at tho same time. nf
not less than Si14.00 To the city rev
e'ue Bnt the attacking party i still
valiant on the field OF conjecture.
The eonjectures Of Mr W. g
Thompson are two. That the State
might at any time take it into its
head to raise the tax on the segra
gated corporations to the maximum
Of 10 mills ,instead of sticking to the
% mills on which all the calculations
and estimates of the Tax Commission
We're basedl. and that it might segts
gate additional classes Of property
Neither OF those changes is posi-
bic without a twot'irds' vote OF all
tue members elected to each House.
No greater vote is required to submit
constitutional amendment: and this
provision alone i, n very ample safe
guard against illconsidered action
There are also even stronger rea-
sous why Mr.. Thompsons apprehen-
sions seem unreasonable and without
foundation. ! shah discuss each con
lecture separately. but most of the
reasoning and the facts apply to both
/. viii the State segsegate fur
ther property? The real future lies
in exactly the opposite direction from
that pictured SO dismally by Mr.
Thompson The fact of practical i'm
portance is the power Of the Iegs
lature to return segregated property
to local taxation
SEGREGAIE PROPERTY AMPLE.
No one. think, has ever ques-
toned the sufficiency of the State
sources of revenue to support the
course to any Of the fearsome expe-
dents which Mr. Thompson conjures
up. AS to the future, Mr. Thompson
himself writes. Louisiana is State
of developing and of yet undeveloped
resources. In many localities this de-
velopment has not only begun, but
has already acquired a tremendous
momentum In every part of the
State opportunity lies dormant, await
ing the vivfying touch of enterprise
and capital"
Clearly, less industrially developed
State like Louisiana to-day needs to
segregate a wider range Of property
than a State which is industrially
tinues to advance in industry and
in wealth, the State government will
property for its support. Thus, the
natural progress of the State Is bound
to mean that the Legislature will be
able to return some of the segregated
property to local taxation.
MIND OF THE LEGISLATOR.
After all, the best answer to Mr..
Thompson's apprehensions Is that
members of the Legislature do hot
conspire to njure their own localities.
It Is common enough to see members
of the Legislature who are far less
interested in the general welfare OF
the State than they are In getting
things" for their districts and their
constituents, but who ever heard OF
two-thirds Of the members elected to
each house unanimously forgetting
the needs of their districts and work.
ing in unison against the interests
of their local government and OF their
home people?
The adoption : the tax amendment
will not change the pressure OF the
localities nor the mind OF the legisIa
tor. Just as surely as the Wembsrt
of the Legislature want to be re
elected 1t is safe to say that the,
will promptly seize the first oppor
tunity 20 bring back some OF the seq
regated property to local taxation.
The rigid TAX amendment which
Mr.. Thompson appears to desire
would deprive the Legislature CT thu
power to return property from Stat
to local taxation.
II. VIII the State impose a rat
of 40 mills o., the segregated corpora
tions? Mr.. Thompson writes
think well OF the Legislature OF Lor
isiana. | believe that our Assembl
stands in favorable comparison wit
any similar body Ii. the nation
Even those who hold that, In othe
matters. the Legislature is not Away
conservative, have b admit thai 1t
always conservative In matters G
taxation. It's unfriendliest critics car
, not cite an example to the contrar
an this generation. Its chief actio