St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1915-08-28
MIR. LEWIS RESENTS CLARION
CRITICISM

H t1OH. y dIl6S HLC"io, Ol "
conscientious members OF the lllustrlous
State Board of Appraisers-who by the
way slipped one on the politicians, when
he unexpectedly offered himself as an
a~spirant to fill the position for the Sew
enth Congressional District, while Cover
nor Hall and SECRETARY of State Hebert
were almost at dagger's point over the
appointment of Stewart as a member
from the Sixth District-severely crltl-
cises the Clarion for it's bold stand on
abolishigg the State Board of Appraisers.
We sincerely believe that Mr.. Lewis,
who comes from one of the most noted
families of Louisiana, a native st. Landrl-
an, is working c~onscientiously for the bet
terment Of Louisiana in general, and at
tempting with all his might to put the
taxation where it belongs. Hence we
have absolutely nothing to say, except
praise for Mr.. Lewis. We are Of the opin-
ion that he is filling a position, which IN
reality should not exist.
When we state that the Board OF APP
praisers has never seen fit to increase the
assessments of the public service corpor-
atoms we take it for granted that the peo-
pie are sufficiently posted to realize the
fact that an increase of $4,O0O,O 900 OF the
assessments of the trusts and m%onopolies
Of Louisiana is just a degree more thai
no increase at all. Probably if the assess
ments of the railroad, telephone, tele-
graph. express, mining and other public
service corporations would have been in
creased by the State Board of Appraisers
$500, 900, 900 or even half of that amount
then Mr.. Lewis and the other members
Of the board could justly claim that the
State Board Of Appraisers has accom-
plished the end for which it was created.
There is no necessity of the taxpay-.
ers sustaining two r DIS
If the members would be paid living
wages. The State Board of E~qualizers
was created for the purpose Of fixing as,
sessments on land and smaller corpora
tions, while the State Board of Apprais-
ers was created to attend to the assess
ments of the public service corporations.
What the two boards do can easily be
accomplished by one board, hence there
is absolutely no necessity for this State
Board of Appraisers, since the people of
Louisiana have no voice with the body,
none of the members being elected by
the people.
If the State Board Of Appraisers has
accomplished as much as our distinguish
ed friend from Eunice has beAn led to be-
lieve, why then is it that the big corpora
tions are not paying the same proportion
of taxes as the ~landholders? There is
bound to be some cause. It naturally re-
verts to the board-not to any Of the in
.dividuals, or probably not to the present
members, but, argue as you may, the pub
lie service corporations are pay
ing very little of the state taxes, while
the burden is being carried by the small
land owners of Louisiana.
Mr.. Lewis is eminently fitted to
serve on the State Board of Appraisers
and st. Landry, no doubt, feels justly
proud of having such an able represen-
on this board, but the stumbling
block is the fact that Mr.. Lewis does not !.
the whole board, consequently
accomplish what is desired of him
md chat is the increase of the assessment !
If the public service corporations. !,
The State Board of Equalizers, the :
members of which are elected by the peo-
lie Of the state, generally do the bidding !
f the majority of the people, in fact al !
1ost invariably asks the taxpayers for :
heir opinions on certain important mat
ers. This board is controlled, in a meas !
re BY the people, because it is of the !
eople and for the people, while on the i
her hand the State Board of Apprais- il
5 deals with the public service corpor !;
the members are :
ot elected by the peoples
ld in a majority Of cases the peo- q
& be damned, in so far as the majority Il
the members are concerned. ii