New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-09-18

were well known. The object of the new
charter was to cure these diseases, and
the Administrators were the doctors called
in to prescribe the necessary medicine.
If the body polite is still diseased, our
physicians must explain the cause. Mr..
Shaw has attempted to do this. But his
explanation does not show that our physi-
clans have even checked the maladies that
have been eating, like canker worm, the.
body polite. The public debt Of the city
has continued to increase until it has
reached the sum Of $50, 763, 658, and the
public credit declined accordingly. The
great fault Of the present city administra-
ton is the old one. The yearly ezpendi-
lures have continued to exceed the re-
ceipts Of revenues. The estimated budget
always proves inadequate to the expenses
incurred. In other words, to make the
matter plain to the most sirlple-minded,
the affairs Of our city government are like
those Of a man who has an income Of one
thousand dollars year, and spends double
that amount during that time. The
continuance of such conduct is bound
to result in increased debt and
ultimate loss of credit. The govern
ment Of our city should be run strictly
upon the cash principle and the current ex-
penses never permitted to exceed the esti-
mated budget. Administrator Shaw ad-
mits this when he says:
In any reform legislation a primal neces-
sity will be to prevent the City Council and
all other boards representing or claiming to
represent the city of New Orleans, from in-
curing any debt beyond the budget Of re-
celpts; and the budget must be carefully
adopted, so that they can be counted upon
as certain, or beyond all reasonable doubt.
We are astonished that it should require
legislation to compel Administrators to
pursue this wholesome course in the con-
duct Of the city government Common
sense and the desire for success should
prompt men in public life to do this.
In answer to the question why the city
government has not been run upon cash |
basis, the Administrator assigns the follow
ing reasons, which may be good as far as
they 60:
TIL e causes are several. First, the fve@
eighth annullment of 1871. This sMpided |
fve-eighrhs of one per cent Of the valuation
OF assessments, or near One-quarter of the
total taxes of that year. Tie budget had
been adopted, and was already five months
In operation. Large contracts had been
made, and nearly half the estimate for the
year had been expended. The issue of pa
per under the present system was then com
menced for want Of cash. the deficit created
being full 100000, which we have never
yet caught up with. The increase Of prices
thus caused prevented any effective re-
trenchment. The Metropolitans declined
to consider any Of the loss. as coming upon
or from their tax, and though they sus-
pended issuing their warrants three months,
taking our appropriations instead, they re
sumed at critical moment for the credit
Of the city. The park, though they waited
for tines have since required full settlee
ment.
The three taxes-city, one ana 9hreeo
quarters; Metropolitan, three-qnartcrs. and
park one-eighth-were all Of them sepa.
rately legal, and levied according to the let
Ter of the law. But the aggregate was dee
dared illegal, because exceeding two per
cent The city had construed tie clause |
orbidding the levy Of any tax exceeding
5wo per cent to apply only to any particular
AK, and not to tho aggregate
HE second leading cause arose from the ,
by theLegislature IL 1870 of
he floating debt then existing in various !
hapes, and which has since received or
oIced a recognition. This was over s., G00o
O0, but bonds were allowed sufficient TO !
und only $2475, coo of it. The funding I
provisions Of bills since enacted have been
ut slowly and only partially acceptedo
olders pre1erring to hold up for payment {
L insisting upon the receiving OF fHeir .
lains for taxes, and sometimes sUiugo s4n(! ,
he third leading cause has been an I'M . {
5ual sHowness in 1871, and for several t
1onths 81 1872, in paying taxes partly =
wing to hard times and staguation Of bust
6sso and partly to the taX-resistng feel 2
". these seem to be m0deratingo and an \
Improvement every way is percept!bleo but :,
iough tie way now seems clear TO % cash L
a Is again, il must be a matter Of some s.
me, and occurring, perhagso preliminary ,
,gisationo | l
The above reasons, no doubt, LAD $Reip L
feet in helping to produce the unfavor-
Die condition into which ouE city affairs Il
ave drifted under the present city admin.
tration; but many persons believe the
ty government has not been admins, Sc
red in the spirit Of retrenchmenG and re- f
rm contemplated when the aeW eity 81
larter passed. III