New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-04-03
MATTERS FOR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION

r things as they ought TO De- Ii "oVa"
,e very fortunate for US if some one would
write book about this time, telling US
low things ought to be. The ordinary
,hannels of public information, we mean
he columns of o newspaper, are aitoge'ber
padeunate for the purpose. Nevertheless
t is our duty to Hee our best efforts 10
ooint out and bring about the necessary
-eforms.
We refer more particularly to our city |
affairs. They are, however, in fair way |
nf being remodeled and reformed. we |
have 10 doubt that the gentlemen into |
whose hands the Governor has confided
the government of the city will do their |
best. We do not expect thorough reform |!
at once: that would be asking too much
but we do expect that they will properly
prepare the ground and SOW the seed,
which in due time will bear the hoped for
frcit-a good, honest and economiel gov
eminent.
When we say economical govern
ment." we do not mean TO be understood
as expecting The new Council will reduce
our taxes. What we do expect aud be-
lieye is. that the city debt will not be IN
crease d, and that the taxes collected will
be honestly applied 60 the payment OF the
debt: that the streets. wharyes, markets,
and public buildings will, in due course OF
time, be cleaned and properly repaired;
that before the hot weather sets IN the
shousands of loads Of rotting and fostering
filth that cucumber QUO streets Will De
removed. so that the atmosphere OF large
portion of the city now contaminated with
poison GUS gases. may become pure and
wholesome.
Among other things that the Council
will be called upon to do, is the election OF
six Recorders, and six alternates, to act
during their sickness or absence. 1t Is
yery generally believed that the Office OF
Recorder is, to use printers pharse, "a
fat take" The supposition is that that
large class of the community who pay
periodic visits to the Recorders courts are
in the habit of leaving behind all sorts Of
mementoes, which being carefully gathered
NO, IN due course of time become valuable'
in q word. that all the moneys levied and
collected as fines, aud paid for releases, do
| not reach the city treasury. We do not
saw that it is SO, but as the public believe
it is so, it behooves the Council to see that
any abuses or irregularities connected with
the Recorders courts should bs reformed
They must remember it will not be with
them az it has been with air the previous
city officials; they will not be able to
shift the responsibility from their
shoulders to some one else's. Herein
| is the difference between them
and their predecessors; the one acted as
Zeg;slator and really had no responsibility
bevond mourning public odium, to which
their thick hides and skulls were lmpTeg'
nable; while the present officials are IN
II, name and in fact administrators, giving
| d
be held to strict accountability
We are thus specific, because we believe
The gentlemen of the Council have the con
fdence of the people. and ask for them
reasonable time to bring order out o
chaos to which they have just become
heirs There is this very fortunate cir
cumstance connected with the new Coun'
Gil. Not one Of them held Office unde
the late city government, and for tina
reason they are not 30 likely to run IN th'
ruts made by those they succeed.
! After careful remodeling Of the sew
eral departments by the Council, each
the Administrators will be supreme IN hi
own department. There will be no longe
anv need for that stupid and costly RET
tape system which prevailed heretofore
no longer any necessity for poor black
smith, horse-shoer or small baker
petition the Council. and wait thei
convenience to grant him permls
sion to follow his lawful calling
In settling up the outstanding indebted
: ness of the city of New Orleans at the tim
of consolidation, we wish to draw the a
: tention of the Council to the maQagemer
, of the bonds authorized to be issued b
the act of February 27, 1869, for the pun
!, pose of taking up the city notes and til
outstanding debts of the city. The hui
tering, barteripg and bargaining of thof
t bonds and the purchase of Metropolis
warrants, ending as it did in the disal
pearance of about eighty thousand dollar
{ should be thoroughly gifted.
:. Then, again, the bonds put into I'll
Fink and McDonogh fund, and borrowt
e without authority. Last summer we We
IS tilated the trick pretty thoroughly, al
1t prevented for the time the preparation
a big fraud upon the taxpayers. VIII
Council, or Mr.. Shaw, the Administers
: Public Accounts, look up this matter al
~ see that the fraud has not been sin
+. stealthily contaminated.
We 90 not refer to these subjects
OF cause we have any doubts OF the earne
ts ness of our new Council 10 do the wo
It's 'confded 10 them, but because we desire
ct, point out the most important subjects I'll
o. demanding their attention.
~ TIE NEW MAYOR.