New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-12-24
rFR rAYoR,s MESSAGE

Lnenfe suggest mlgnt nave oeen p1ea'oA W."
until after the holidays, and if the wives
and daughters Of this generous emporium
find their allowance reduced in volume
this year, they may very plsusibly rest the
blame on thesetwo hard-headed and prnc-
tical officers, vino, in their desire to do
we'll for the soulless corporation which has
been committed to their charge, dsliber-
ately and vindictively tell US that we have
been spending too much money, and
tina: in order to enjoy ourselves hereafter
We must econonizeat present The lesson,
We confess, is good, but it might have
been withheld until after our Christmas
vacation.
But since the soup is on the table let
us at once proceed to discuss il The
favor of dish is in its early service.
Mayor Flanders is sharp on the matter OF
reducing expenses, and evidently feels a
disposition to save every dollar that is
uselessly spent His observation ns 70
the various drains upon the municipal
treasury has been extended and searching,
emitting, if We may be allowed 70 exercise
our own Judgment in the matter, the
ezcess Of employment dispensed in his
own Office. While we are cutting Of
heads, let the knife fall inaparsially, ae
Brian ODonohue's shillalGh did, when
ever q useless caput can be SEEN And
that there are more mouths to feed in the
Mayors Office than strict economy win
warrant, is proposition that has not
originated with Us, but has come to our
ears ct VARIOUS times end in divers places
through the criticism of parties engaged
in discussing municipal reforms- How
ever, considering the labor Of celebrating
tables, and of compiling comparisons,
If the Mayor insists tina. he can not pro-
coed with smaller clerical force, We
shall not insist on our point.
In regard to the police reform, this is a
measure which the REPUsII1.R has not
been backward in advancing heretofore.
The Metropolitan system was q necessity
at the time Of its adoption; but since the
peril that brought i. into ex;stenoe has
ceased to exist, SO tho crude and cunber-
some institution itself may be allowed to
pass away. 1t hos done some good IN its
deg, and its evils were forssee1. The
people of New Orleans were tod long ago
that if they did not amend their then OK
isting hostility to the freedom Of discus
zion and Of thought, the expense Of pro-
tecting men in their right to be Ropnbli-
cans would fall upon themselves. They
chose not to amend, and if they have paid
heavily for their. obstinacy, it has been
done with their eyes open, and
after they had been cautioned 'as to
the result. The lesson viii DO
them good. Since thers is no further
necessity for so large and un|ieldy o
system, and since the expenses can be
reduced at least one-haIf, lett be the work
of the Republican party to 60 the necss-
sa-y work Of reduction. New Orleans
can be sufficiently garrisonea against
disorder by q force Of four hundred men,
and the entire line of duties that is now
intrusted to the Commissioners may be
committed to capable chief and faith
full body Of ai3s, something after tie
fashion OF a regiment OF regular soldiers,
stationed at distant frontier post. All
the grand Offices can be surrendered to
other tenants, and police headquarters
can be located in one OF the municipal
buildings. And with such q government
as We have 1T present the control and
direction Of the police force can be safely
committed to the Administrators. An
annual saving could thus be effected Of st
least four hundred thousand dollars, aud
the city would be policad 10 better I'D
vantage than it is NOW or ever has been
since the days Of old Baldwin.
In the matter Of legal expenses, such
ss the fees paid to coroaers, gheriefb, and
for keeping the prisoners, there is wide
margin for reform. Under Democratic
rUle it has grown to be most oppressive
and e1tortionate system Of charging the
city with innumerable costs in criminal
prosecutions. And this, TOO, in the face
Of the very letter Of the law, which de-
clares, in effect, though ia very loose and
defective language, that all charges in
favor Of the officers as against criminals,
shall be collected from the parties them
selves. The evident intention Of the
Legislature WIGS 10 release all co;pors.e
from the expense Of criminal
considering very Justly that
tho Sheriff had such ample fees that he
favor Of the community that paid him so
In reference to coroners,
the number of inquests to 10 paid for is
not regulated by the number held. but
by the number Of inquests held in cases
where the subject came to his or her death
by violence. Under Democratic Gberality,
coroners have been in the habit
OF hunting up all sorts CT cases, and
for the inquest as we'll if the
party died in bed as if he had been blud-
geoned st night. & close adherence to
the law itself will reform this matter.
And about the feed OF prisoners in the
parish jail, if the inmates Of that valuable
institution were subjected to some kind
Of employment, Or if their board we're let