The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-12-15

HOW TO DO IT.

and measures pest calculaOeu 10 uIdW tue tIduo
of the West and North, as well as of foreign
countries, to New Orleans" In pursuance of
the duty thus imposed on them the commit
tee have issued the following circular:
SENAr. OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
Rooms of the Committee on Com
merce and Manufactures.
The Senate of this State passed resolution on
the last day of its late session, which directs this
committee to make inquiries into the means and
measures best calculated 10 draw the trade OF the
West and North, as well as of foreign countries,
to New Orleans, to relieve our commerce from lts
hipdrapces and burdens, to consider the subject
of inspection, to digest and prepare general laws
for the Incorporation Of elevator and other like
companies, and to suggest whstever may seem TO
them, after consultation with men eminent IN
commeri,s and the arts, best calculated to pro-
mote commerce and manufactures in this State.
and TO report upon the same at the next session OF
the General Assembly:
In our deliberations upon these subjects we find
ourselves In want of definite information which
may Iced rs to clear conclusions upon them. We
therefore respectfully request such as are pos
sessed! of knowledge which may assist US, or
whose deliberations and experience may have
enable them to arrive at the solution OF the dill
entities which present themselves to u.s. to give US
. reply to the following interrogatories:
How can the commercial interests OF the state
be best promoted
Can we in any way egisate so as to cheaper or
improve the access to our wharves by the COM
merce OF other States and countries, and If 80 in
what wsy can we best effect this
,non csmmerce IN New Orleans. whether they be
those Of State, city Of individuals, without I'M
duly Essenng ne ,e's s;,s ,ba hns;osSs Of the
latter Il
Are there any changes needed In inspecuon
sscn,;sv 70 he sbi1ner without undue cost TO him
or tire buyer, or should inspections be altogether
voieaia N.Y.. .,v sx;s,,nr uononoliss which are
dangerous to commerce, and if SO by what means
may they be eurbed! Are there any sech con'em'
our Sepersi cor laws be go amended
o. to better promote commerce or manufacturers
, ana lierein SPEAK Oh elevator COMPANIES Anu 'He
Csa apy general laws affecting railways or other
communications, whereby their rates OF treight or
iss f he NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. passed
How can we best increase the manufactures Of
.ne sts'e Mou,d po1nq ~ 70 hs, snoniS hs ,hns
aided, and 10 what extent, and under what limita-
tions
.,,,en, 20 v. The maasnres Won NAV think hest
calculated to promote the objects of reform and
progress we nave 10 vew sna a. 20 AZ
You may address communications to the under.
signed, chairman OF the committee through tne
he Fonrtb District. se Camp street New Orleans.
T.V. COUPLASD. Chairman
We feel rather difident we must confess,
in senturing to crtioise the efforts OF the
Senate committee ON commerce and manu-
features, especially when the object to be
attained is so laudable and so desirable; but
we; feel bound to say that In our OPINION
these questions are not framed In SUCH
manner as to produce the best eheets; that
some of them are vague and superfiuous, and
that others are likely TO bring cataciysm OF
vapid, meaningless and perhaps pernicious
responses upon the committee. There are
two questions which VIII, perhaps, receive
more answers from ambitious and interested
persons than all the rest and yet, we venture
to say that not one valuable or practical sug-
pestion will be found among them, Every
body that thinks at all, imagines that he
has found, or can find, some potent
p,an for promoting the commercial
interests of the State-some royal
road to commercial prosperity; but it seems,
even now, if VIC may Judge by this circular,
to require something more than the average
of thought to bring people to the conclusion
that commercial prosperity is not to be in
vented, or planned, or achieved by means of
Legislative expedients, but that it is the result
of causes and forces over which legislation
has only the control of obstruction and inter
ference. One of the profoundest thinkers of
this or any other age, declares, as the result
of his investigations, that the only good ever
accomplished by legislation has consisted in
undoing the evil wrought by previous legisla-
ton. 1t is possible that the statement, taken
in its whole extent, is too general; but it is
lamentably true in the sense in which Mr.
Buckle intended it-that OF an illustration OF
the futility and the faulty OF attempting TO
promote, or to stimulate industrial prosperity
by means OF affirmative Legislative in'erVeh'
ton.
Again. .ne oouin1i..oo use c.. o.
increase INC . na' ~nonon,;s. wo,,d an.
rroDaoiy po.--'a, 90 .s,o.,,~o :.
s~ei u,S ~ s"yAns -. '' ;,'aro.aasa hv latin