New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-09-25

41e'lce we see the financial officers of the
CITY and State preferring to let the public
, credit suffer rather than run the risk of
loss OF popularity by insisting upon
| Hgld application Of the laws for the col.
lection Of taxes. Like most other abuses.
this has its foundation in popular error,
| fomented by designing demagogues. It
must OF necessity wear itself out in time.
since it is too plain to require denonstra.
ton that the public interests will sufe.
unless every person whose action affects
results performs ali tina: may he re.
CURED OF him. and This applies as
well 70 the taxpayer es to the
officer. ! delinquent in arrears
10 the city is to some exten: detaulter,
the same as an officer would be who coll
lected money and then neglected or re.
FUSED 10 pay it over. The mode Of treat.
ment OF the two offenders is. however,
different. The officer is very properly
visited with public indignation. while the
'asower Is coddled and ''poos followed
ustll he almost imagines he has done
something meIitorious. 1t is this sympa-
thy with delinqrents tina: lies at the bot
tom OF the embarrassment of the city |
and State finances. The public dues
promptly collected would have been stuff.
Gent to meet al needtul expenses: would
have saved enormous sums paid for inter.
est. and avoided the increased ezpendi-
ture that always attends bad credit. And
the only possible mode Of relief left to the
people is speedy return to a strict oh.
Of the laws Even if disaster
and absolute ruin should be brought upon
g few individuals who are really unable
to pay. it would be bette. SO than the
present blight that now hangs over this
whole community. Failures daily occur
N private life from various causes,
but inconvenience Of payment is never
regarded AS good plea SO long
IS the creditor can find seizable property,
IND no amount Of poverty. sickness or d.
wen death itself can save note from t
protest or furnish bank with valid ex. !
use tor failing to pay its depositors On d,
lemand. No good reason exists for hold. ;
ng the city TO its obligations to pay, and 6
Glazing the rule in !svo, Of its creditors, .
nd such al atsurdity would never be
IL e place where public opinion e
perfectly sound and healthy.
We have on a former occasion shown 8,
"a: mos. Of tie items Of municipal e1. j,
enditu1e are Sd regulated by law and al
ased upon previous engagements tina. ,o
re pcesen: Council possesses little O. no b,
scIe'ionary power. The duty Of the 81
Ulcers begins and ends with ascertaininc ~
e am oun: Of revenue that will be need. W
and N collecting and discussing il. y
ny failure 20 collect inevitably causes Nj
nbar-assmen:s and swells the public &. al
ndi:u:es. Tie admitted obligations of ",
e city 70 pay interest, maintain the po- RAJ
e. sustain tie fire department. Ugh. sa
g stree: lamps, etc. are SO heavy that ~
e complete suspension Of what are gen ye
lily kuowo Us the curren. expenses Of Ay
: government. such as salaries, repairs,
" :nprcveEsLts, etc, would furnish he,
lie OF 10 .e..e;. This is no: pleasan. A.
'ture 20 contemplate, but it affords no Odd
'son why portion of the people should F
permitted TO evade their duties as c:.i-
Is On the unsatisfactory grounds tina: :
7 NEXT Of taxes is announcement.