New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-10-27
An ALMOST PoReOTTEY 0BTEoT,

The conservatives, by which term We
include that very large class Of people
in the city who want to hold the
offices, remind US Of boys at their
school games. The captains, the
file leaders, the rank and the file. have
been chosen, and everybody is ready to
begin, but no one appears to know what
the game is to be. Instead Of organizing
a party to perform needful work, they are
trying to invent something by means OF
which to employ the immense army Of
Office seekers. The Times asks the candi-
dates TO make suggestions, being, itself,
too modest and difident to put itself for
ward until its advice is sought The
Ptcagune, with fine appreciation of its
neighbours perplexity, generously calls up'
on it to state the objects of the meeting;
but we regret 10 observe, or, at least, we
imagine we see, a sly look of reservation
which promises to assail any detailed plan
the Times may suggest. But there is no
danger thatany one, whether a candidate or
party organ, will submit a detailed budget
Of items for the proposed work Of reform.
BY the time the Radicals are all turned
out of Office and the conservatives COM
| fortably installed, it will be found that
there is no longer any occasion or even
necessity for reform. That by the mere
change Of officials "the people have &C
| CURED confidence in the various admin
istrations that pacifes popular tumult,
and that it is discourteOus to intimate to
such eminently respectable gentlemen as
| those who have succeeded to power that
they are anything but wise, just and hon
est And so the clamors for reform which
| have vexed the public ear ever since Che
Democrats were expelled from Office will
be hushed by the simple fact Of their re-
turn. If some practical old gentleman
hint that the salaries are too high and
the expenses are too great, he will be. an
swered that they are the same as under
the Radical rule, and, surely, Democratic
officials should be as well paid as Repub-
ican. And if now and then shameless
steal or two shall be perpetrated, what
harm will come Of them ? The Dem
ocratic papers will suppress the transac.
tons, andif Republicans make an expose
it will be set down to political malice, and
the narrator arraigned before the commu-
nifty as a cul prit. Yet the Times is IN
easy. It doubtless has sense enough to
see that the people who can not hold Office
must be amused with q show Of keeping
some Of the rash promises already made |
for reform. Unless something is done |
different from that which was done by the |
there will be danger Of !
and the people will complain
that they can not see wherein they have
made any gain. The party organs foresee
all this, and are trying to provide against
it. The gentlemen, however, who now
expect to enjoy the emoluments Of Office
are disposed to let the question of reform
wait in allegiance until the end Of their
term Of Office, for they have been at some
trouble and expense to secure their hard
won nominations, and naturally look
for reimbursements, with a little margin
Of profit. Thus there is conflict be-
tween the policy Of the party and the in
crest Of the candidates, which, though
doubtful now, can result in only one way
after the election. The cry for reform will
gradually cease. Nothing will be done
lnless it be to improve upon the practices
# the past, and make the patronage of
lie city a greater source Of profit tbap
,ver. The election is near az hand. If
my plan or policy is to be adopted IL
hould be presented at once, and il is no
more the duty Of the Times than of Che
0jcdy1G2e to take the initiative in the
york Of making suggestions. When men
gree that something should be done. but
AIT for each other to do it, we may be s
1re that they do not intend 20 do il, ;
nd, as consequence, that nothing will j
e done. We have heard about the last +
the reform clamor. c