New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-07-18

AFo years ago. winch we propose to TAX
advantage Of this morning to assist US il
answering another letter published in tn
same paper on the same day.
/ Several days ago we printed an editorial
headed Balancing the Political Account,
which some writer in the Picayne sign
ing himself History pretended to an
swer. BY providential interference, The
letter Of Mr.. Howell and the letter o.
'.History" appeared at the same time,
upon the same page, side by side, and the
former answered the latter so completely
that we beg leave to return our thanks to
MIR. Howell for his services in the matter.
Now to business. History did not
answer our Indictment of the Democratic
party, but contented himself with drawing
parallel between the condition Of. the
State in 1862 and 1872. He did not follow
US in our arguments as to who was respon-
sible for the difference between now and
then, but demanded judgment in his own
favor because there was difference. In
enumerating the difficulties that beset the
State at present as compared with those
that beset it ten years ago, History as
serts that Louisiana was free from all legis-
lative speculations previous to 1862, and
that she suffered no questionable jobs to
be placed on her statute books until the
Republicans came into power in 1868. But
let his question explain his position:
State if prior 20 1862 there wereeharges of
bribery and corruption against members of
the Legislature, and other officials, and, if
co. report the names Of the parties so
charged. THIS court ercltseS yo2t from the
tabor Of entering into the particulars on this
point lou will only state in general way
how many million dollars have been paid
to officials to get them to pass or to execute
bills which were not in the interest Of the
people Of the State.
Now for the answer as we find it in
Major Howell's letter, written FIVE years
ago, before the Republicans came into
power:
New Orleans has had sorry time with
railroads; not stone marks the grave of
the departed Nashville, and the favorite
town OF Uncle Sam has long since passed |
sprang from this road, so far as the iron is |
concerned, and was made crooked for |
twenty-six miles; running time from the |
city to the terminus six and three-uuarters
hours. This road has given up the ghost; /
not yestige is to be seen. After many
theatrical performances and champagne |
suppers, the jackson railroad was inaugu-
rated. The private subscription to this
road did not amount to half a million dol
lars. The city took two million and the
state eight hundred thousand, and the ana
3onda CONSTRUCTION bOndsl the balance
The anaconda swallowed large portion
Ind continues to swallow the larger amount
If earnings.
The OpelOusas road went into operation
bout the same time. A rumpus was
licked up about large importation of iron
Vt high prices, but l forgot how the affair
The anaconda swallowed this
Dad, skin and all. Then we had the Ed
5ertOn POntchartrain road, but all that,is
EFT otthat Is two and three per cent annual
,ayment on city licenses. Then came the
southern Pacific like an avalanche sweep
1g all before-it, backed up by the Yergers
f Nicksburg and other dignitaries. Large
were made to this road, but
he anaconda soon swallowed the road and
0ok in our money to aid in the digestion
he Vicksburg and Shreveport road was.
be smallest affair. The directors of the
ompany gObbled that road up, and now
IN it for their own account The State
avs annually ST., $3.50 of interest ON bonds
sued for the stock it subscribed for in that
bad.
Here are the facts that answer for them
elves. New Orleans and Louisiana, un-
er Democratic governments, gave away
undreds Of thousands of dollars to rail-
'ads, some of which were never even
'mmenced, others of which were never
,mpleted, and all of which have been I'M
ithful to the power that helped them.
hat has history to say to this exposure ?
was well that he forbade his respondents
give the particulars, and that he merely
anted to find cut how much money had T
en paid to secure the passage of bills /
at were Of no benefit to the State. What 4
oft was it to the people of Louisiana I
at the Democrats should issue five hun e
ed thousand dollars of interest bearing s
nds in favor of the Nashville railroad, e
t mile Of which was ever built What d
the inference against the Legislature 0
1t thus casts away ene money of the t
ople. a
History evidently appreciated the Il
nger that beset his path, and he at b
opted to guard against the very response h
ich he knew such men as Howell could b
nish to overwhelm him with. And more b
n that, he knew that he was not answer ci
our indictment, because he departed Of
N the logic Of our prosecution to the re- m
e which desperate men always fly to, of b.
king counter charges against the Re- T.
)icans instead of defending the Demo- hc
is. Bad men always seek that avenue liz
escape. They defend themselves by 70
using others of being just as bad as eli
7 are. We did not setdp any claim to di
erior honesty or exalted excellence on it
part of the Republicans, but on the of
trary we said they had spent a great fel
of money, which might have been NJ
ID to the State if the Democrats had tn
i better men. The answer to this is to,
the Republicans are bad also. This I'll
poor consolation to the people who ha
, to foot the bills. What we want is pr
the Democracy shall do better than it fro
done, and this will force the Republi- rel
) to be better. History is evidently de
osed to any reform of this sort, for he CD
5ests no intention on the part of his tho
ads of reforming themselves, but de-