New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-09-22

1t will be conceded by every business
man in the United States that during thu
term of the present admins tration there
4 has been greater certainty and steadines.
in business, fewer fluctuations III the prices
| Of commodities and in the values Of ma
| ti0nal securities in currency than has beer
experienced for many previous years. Thi:
! result arises from the wise and firm finan
cial policy of the administration A change
| of Presidents, especially when that change
results from the success of the opposition
| party, may essentially effect and disturb
| the whole commerce of the country, both
| internal and external. When results have
been satisfactory as l have described. il
| seems to me that the people OF this country
! can not afford to take the hazard of a
| change.
The supporters of Mr.. Greeley often won.
| der why the colored men especially will not
| follow his lead and that Of such men as Mr..
| Sumner. [ admit that these gentlemen
| have been the earnest, efficient and vontin.
| sense On the part of the colored people IN
not going after individuals, when there is a
great and organized party which has main.
tanned faithfully and successfully the doe
trines which these gentlemen have advoo
Gated. 1t is safer to be supported by the
mass than by the Individuals, 1t is a
greater wonder why such men as Mr. Gree.
Icy anu A1Is C1tuuCIs WlO sun ptUlGSS JlbIB
old-time sentiments, should abandon party
in whose principles they believe when Liss
tory is so full of the wrecks Of individuals
who have attempted to measure arms with
organizations and have fallen without being
able to accomplish any good to themselves
or anybody else, or very little harm.
So much for national politics. Here in
Louisiana and in the city of New Orleans,
we have more concern for cur local affairs
and more interest III our local governments.
The people are burdened with taxation and
loaded down with debt. We have few enter.
prises and little business. Houses are
empty; the people are idle, suffering for the
want of employment Taxation absorbs
the entire profits of capital We can not
expect emigration OF the influx of capital
in this condition of things. We are all re.
sposible for it to- greater or less extent
Republicans and Democrats, white men
and black men, citizens Of foreign and of
native BIRTH because we have not attended
properly to- our political duties. 1t must
be apparent to the least observant that we
have no great questions of principle to di.
vide us, for all now seem to profess alike
concerning the liberty and citizenship of
all the people, and that there is really, so
far as we are concerned, merely material
issues. The condition of things which |
have described can only be changed through
the intelligent and non-partisan action of
all the people, We must change it. This
change can be accomplished only by choOs-
ing competent, faithful and honest
men TO- office. Since 1865 there has
been appropriated, according 80 the best
estimate that can. makee by the seyo
eral Legislatures of this State. about
81, 100000 The Legislature chosen in
1863 which had but a single opponent Of
the Democratic party in it, appropriated
about $4,000. 600 in three sessions. and. in
linn 4l,OA
about $2S,000,000. The Demo. !
cratic and Republican Legislatures seemed
to have We'd with each other in their efforts |
to- increase the public debt and the burden
OF taxation; SO that MOVE including $he |
small debt that existed prior to the beces. |
sion Of the State and including the city |
debit every man. woman and child in |
this commercial emporium of the South |
west IS saddled with liability not !
falling short of 5000 per capita. Can
1ne expect prosperity such circumstances ! I
The expenses of e sixty days session # the !
ought not to exceed 100000 ]
ret IN the last session there was expended |,
1913 900, and in the session previous nearly
59OO.OOOo The expense of assessing and col.
Getting your taxes ought net 10 exceed J
hree-quarters of enc per cent Of the sum
but 1t now costs from ten to if
cen per cent. In the two items which
laye mentioned, the people OF this city and
stats may be saved three-quarters OF a mil
ion annually Taxation is apparently |
Dorne by the property holders. but ii bears
most previously upon the laborers. If you
ell The big trees OF the forest they crush all
he little ones in their way. Capital is in.
-ested, first, where it is safe, secondly.
where It will bring the greatest re.
urn 1t will! not be invested here
ecause taxation absorbs its entire income.
have heard of COiOred man who thought
hat taxation was good thing so long as
he poor were not compelled TO paw Il
you'd secure the sale OF lands SO that the
DOR could get hold Of them. If you buy
ny lands to-day under tax sale, next gear
hey VIII be sold from under yoU from the |
line cause unless taxation is reduced,
card OF another colored man who thought
lXatlon would compel the planters in the !
0untry to cultivate more lands, and that
ne greater demand there was for labor the ,
lgher would be the wages. The philosophy
-0uId be good If it induced the cultivation
more lands. Che contrary effect is pro.
uced, however No man is geing to plant.
+ conduct any other business unless he I
an at least come out eyeno I
w hen planter proposes to make a crop 7
hundred hogsheads Of sugar, he esti-
ates what sum of money he can sell it I
II, and then calculates the expense of its
reduction, and unless he can make it
y
AXE 1t at all. He calculates the cost of !
s ANIMALS and utensils, the food for his !
llmalso the food for his family and =
s laborers, and the wages of his Ia {
'rers. He can not purchase his animals. l
his utensils, or any other article except | I
The price Tor which the owner will sell h
en- ~ IS said that no man can escape S
ath or taxation. The State never lets up L
lts demands The only place where a o
duction can be coerced is in the c
ages of the iaborer. The Almighty t
IS created us equal in some re. Fl
ects. If we have not inherited v
operty. we are endowed with the a
wers OF brain and muscle to achieve a
'ustenance. These who are without prop fl
ty must sell the use of their brain and Oh
Iscle to those who have property and A
mt their use. It is she duty of every fl
)oref to, obtain such wages and to prac. q
e such economy as that he NAV earn | N
netting beyond what is necessary for his is
pport, that in time he himself NAV be. OF
ne the employer of the brains and muscle al
those who are without property Every 90
10 taken from the capitalist through un- cl
ieSSafy GaXatIOno lessons the chance of IS
} labOrer to achieve the comfortable no v
on have described. The people ought to in
7 only the necessary expenSes.Of a govern FL
Mt Every cent taken from them beyond a
s IS SIMPLY extortien or robbery. There nj
as have stated, only one remedy. N an
Il choosing capable, faithful and honest
n to otflGe. am anxious for the success An
the Republican parity 1t can not, it ca
TIT not to succeed except il eommendg mr.
1t to the judgment of all the people
9ugh the wisdom, justice and economy =.
he public administration when it is in cit
'er: The colored people have grave re- hu
nsibilities. There has been and perhaps ola
I, Is great prejudice existing against them :
DO away with that prejudice so well qne
SO speedily as to see to ii ontheir narf rat