The Democratic advocate., 1871-09-28
Financial Corruption.


own press, OF financial corruption and
ring management in New York city,
Is curiously aud sugsestively like to
that which has been repeatedly made Of
similar STATE of things in various
Southern States. The indignant reso
lutions Of the late citizens meeting at
Cooper Institute echo almost literally
the complaints which for three years
past the Southern press und people have
been uttering in the ears of the nation
The fact that the Republican party has
been mcstly indifferent to the spectacle
presented at the South, while it is vexed
TO its inmost soul at the recital Of the
alleged misdoings of Tweed, Connolly
4 Co., only illustrates the difference il
makes whose OK is gored. 1t always
does make difference in politics,
although it makes none in morals, and
should make none in the judgment of
Of honest and patriotic men, which side
does the stealing. In New York Tam.
many is accused of plundering the pub.
lie TO enrich itself aud to maintain the
supremacy of the Democratic parity
The wholesale robberies of the State
governments and people at the South
have been excused aud palliatcd, if not
justified, because the men who pcrpe.
trated them were Of unblemished loyal.
ty" aud it was by such means that the
perpctuity of "carpct bug" rulc and re.
publican asceDdency was to be secured.
That our readers may judge how
closely the parallel holds, with the diff
ercnce, il any, that the greater enormi.
ties aud rascalities will be found to have
been committed at the South, we invite
attention to few figures taken from
trustworthy sources. The result in
New York, as summed up by repub.
lican authority, may be stated as iol.
lows: In January, l869-two years
and half ago-the total city aud coun.
" debt was, in round numbers $40.
100000. ln October, l870-not quite
year ago-it was $50 100000. Last
May it was $4,000, 900, and at the
citizens meeting it was estimated to
amount, on the first of September, to
Sll3,000,000. At the breaking out Of
the war the State debt Of Louisiana was
$4,000, 900; in. 1868 il was Sl4,5OO,.
600, in 1870 it was SAL 100000, aud
on the first Of last June it was $40.
100000. In the same interval taxes
had increased from 20 cents to 81 As
on the 500, and this year will amount
to considerably more than 80, while by
the loss Of slaves, the depreciation Of
land and the devastotions OF the war,
taxable property had greatly diminished.
To show how the money has gone, be.
fore 1860, 60 days session of the
Legislature cost in Louisiana from
$1,000 to 100000. The regular
and extra session of 1870 cost more than
$3.50, ,000, aud the Regular session Of
1871 cost more than 100000. In
South Carolina, as shown by the exhibit
prepared by the tax payers convention,
taxes in 1870 reached S2,0O0,OO0, as
against G4OO 900 before the war, and
this in the face Of the impoverished
conu't'oh OF the state, while to show
the superior cost Of ''scalawug" and
carpet oaS iesis'a.ion, a session OF the
LEGISLATURE whleh IN 1863 cost S45,-
cav IN loal cost siOo'ooO, and the
State debt from having been nominal
oeiore tue war Is now ABOUT s9,OOo,O0O.
faE ha ..r
II we 'aAe 'he case oi State which
emerged eafi'er from "the bonds OF
wicSeuness ana gal of luIqulty' OF
secession 'nan ei'her oil those named,
ana euJoyed carrier The benefits ef re-
publican RUE '1e state debt OF Tenues'
see mas increased from 90, 325, ,l5S in
iooi' 70 sfo, ,oo- ,ooa 10 loil-an In-
crease oil s3' ,oo' ,494-mainly since
reconstruction peSan' The New York
Nas'on' commenting upon the figures
from Louisiana above given, makes
this frank acknowledgement 1.-THE State
is' IN short, as North Carolina has been
as south Carolina has been, and as
merely every Southern State has been,
the prey, since ll65, OF grossly and
shamelessiy corrupt governments, whose
oihcers have made fortunes, aud of rings
OF railroad aud other spectators" All
the Southern States have not suffered
equally, 1t Is true, but not one has Who'll.
ly escaped. The history of radical mis-
government IN the South recalls that Of
the worst period OF Roman proconsular
government, when extortions like those
OF the ouaester serres, IN Sicily, fur
nished al Immortal text for the indig'
nant eloquence Of Cicero. In modern
times 1t hlds only its parallel in the
policy which Spain has remorselcss
ly pursued towards her colonies, farm
ing them out among political favorites
aud needy adventurous If il docs not