Le MeschaceÌbeÌ. [volume] ([Lucy] La.) 1853-1942, 1916-10-28
A COMMUNICATION.
Hon. ]. NJ. HamIey Answers Captain
ReiRhardt.

Lake fFOVlQeRce, La
! September. 26, 1916.
Hon. E. j Reinhardt,
New Orleans, La,
| Dear Captain:
Your circular letter has been
received, and | must say that |
am indeed surprised to know that
you would send out such litera-
ture to the public. Either you do
not understand the legislation
that has been passed and is sub
mltted to the people, or you are
the mouthpiece of some interest
Iopposed to a system of taxation
that will inure to the benefit of
the Masses of the people of the
State of Louisiana.
Your circular is indeed full of
misstatements, and it seems that
you are attempting to lead peo-
pie to believe things which are
not facts. Evidently these things
are placed in your circulars to
cause impressions to induce those
who read it to vote against the
amendments to the constitution.
1t is only through efforts of this
kind that the amendments can
be attacked, as any fair minded
man, who really undestands the
situation and the remedies for
the deplorable condition of affairs
will readily see that they are
easily in favor of better govern
ment.
You must know that every ef-
fort of our splendid Governor
has been in the right direction,
and you certainly cannot justly
write that he is attempting to get
a hold on the Assessors of the
State in order that he may be
able to control the situation in
every political subdivision of /
Louisiana, r. G. Pleasant is not /
that kind of a man. He proved it
most cCnclusively by the great !
vote of confidence given him by
the people of this State in tae
primary of January last. l also
think that you go too far in
criticising him in this matter.
This Legislation, as you well
know, was passed by the re-
presentatives of the people, and
without any dictation on the part
of Governor Pleasant, tits true
that he advocated the new sys-
Ct moi taxation, and you also
know that every man interested
in the welfare of our State, for
many years has advocated a
caange in the antiquated plan of
our assessment and taxation. Z
Your criticism of the three =
quarters of a mill tax is quite un-
Just and unfair and untrue. You
know this additional tax was
levied to meet the debts of the ad-
that you as a men,
Der of the General Assembly
helped to create, and that it was
levied for this year only, and
that there was never, or is thee
now, any intention of extending
this increase of three-quarters of
a mill
As man purporting to be a
property owner and interested in
the welfareof the State and the
people, you must know that the
present system of assessment
is a failure; that it does not in
any manner eQualize the assess
ments of property even in small
localities, and that unless some:
thing is done very soon the State
will be bankrupt. You are Ger
tainly familiar enough with the
financial affairs of the State and
its institutions to know that un-
der the present system of assess
ment ii is absolutely impossible
for anything to progress; that
every institution of the State, and
everypart of the State government
Is crying for more emoney; that tha
Stateof Louisiana is growing and
its demands are necessarily great
er; ard that it is beyond the ex-
pectation of any sensible man to
hope for progress SO long as we
a system planned for
the days following the reconstruc
ton.
Why is it that you do not now.
or did not at the time this leg
islation was passed, suggest some
other plan than the one You at
tack. Why did you wait until this
late day to express your dis-satis
faction? What remedy do you
have tooffer for the unfortunate
az the States financial