New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-08

| themselves C1uZe0s Ascension and at.
tempted to speak for the people of thil
city. And if Mr.. Cockrem has reference
to the gentlemen who compose this asso
citation when he says he is glad to see
their attention turned to the interest o.
our city, he is again wrong. They have
not believed in the past, nor do they now
believe that true economy is progress and
permanent improvement. Their policy is
emphatically to.stand still. This is thei,
| economy. And Mayor Flanders is but
the exponent Of their ideas in the city
government.
There always will be class Of men,
even under republican government, who
think the wealthy should control all affairs
of government. There are others, how.
ever, who think differently, and they are
apt to be largely in the majority. They
believe that wealth should not be the only
recommendation to political influence and
power {; that political power should rest
with the masses-with the rich and the
poor equally. When it is otherwise, and
the rich control the political affairs of a
country, it will not be republican. Some
of the largest property owners in this city
are delinquent taxpayers. The grea. body
of taxpayers are men who own but little
property, in many cases only the house
they live. These men pay their taxes
promptly, and are not half so apt to
grumble as the large property owners,
who not only fail, in many instances, to
pay their taxes, but are always arrogating
to themselves the right to lead society
and control government
When such men have influence with
government they are more apt to use it
for promoting personal interest than in
making public improvements Of per-
manent character. We do no. say that
all rich men are this way; yet We aver
that there is q common tendency among
rich men to rule as a class, and we have
heard it intimated that the gentlemen
composing the Citizens Association are
more seriously afflicted with this tendency
than anything else. One thing is sure,
and that is, that they are opposed to
progress. They do not believe in public
improvements, and therefore Mr.. Cock
rem is wrong in saying their attention has
been turned to the true interest of New
Orleans
In regard TO the financial difficulties OF
the city, which Mayor Flanders has de-
picted as being worse than ever before,
and charged as the result of z.i:smanag-
ment, if not corruption, of the present
city administration, Mr.. Cockrenl says;
rapid examination of the accounts of
the city would show, | believe. that the
condition OF the city three years ago put
ting aside the extraordinary and not to be
foreseen emergencies since occurring, of an
overflow and several disastrous caves in
the levee). was worse than it is to-day. The
in the city's finances is not OF re-
cent creation, and | believe the RESPONSE
bility does not rest with the present city
government.
After indicating the city government
against TIE cEaISeS OF acknowledgement.
Or corruption, be asserts that The present
condition of the city affairs, Tad as the
Mayor represents it, is due more 20 the
apathy Of the people and to their wan: OF
Of the resources G. the city
than to any other cause.
Mr.. Cockrem further says:
The city OF New Orleans con- 9rises a
greater area of streets paved and impaired
than any other city in the United States.
The Department of Improvements has
under its charge six hundred and lily niles
VI streets. classified as follows:
Niles. |
Paved with square block stOre................ Y
Paved with round stoLe %.
dNeU IN
d
cad amized .......................
>ot pa Gu