New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-10-31
LOOK OUT FOR THE MENDICANTs.

with subscription books to raise funds for
the ensuing season. Each of these col
lectors will be furnished with the most I'M
questionable credentials. Their subscrlp-
ton books will all be started with the
names Of well known firms, down for
liberal amounts, which. by well under
stood arrangement, are never to be coll
lected. They will be useful, however, in
establishing the market rate of political
favor for the mercantile small fry, who are
too timid to free themselves from the thral-
dom which our political dead beats have
thrown around them. The official an
nouncement is finally made in the organ
of the Democratic convention to be held
here in November. Here it is:
Extract from the minutes Of the Com.
mittee of Seventy, at the meeting held DC.
tober 90, 1873:
Moved that committee of three be ap
pointed to make arrangements to entertain
the members from the country to the No
vember convention by citizens of New Or
leans. during their attendance upon the
sessions of said convention.
Adopted unanimously.
OF course it was adopted unanimously.
1t was the business of the Committee of
Seventy to adopt that very measure. That
was the object of their appointment, and
they have been faithful to the trust con.
ided to them. One OF the benefits arising
from being a member ofthis famous Com.
mittee of Seventy is the exemption from
contributing much. They devote their
valuable time and lend their influential
LANES to aid in the tax collecting move.
ment, thereby becoming high priests in
the new dispensation. and entitled to the
privileges enjoyed by the clergy through
out the country-their property is exempt
from taxation.
For reform party, intent on reducing
the expense of government, this looks like
bad beginning. The United States tax,
though the least felt of any, is really
burden upon the industry of the people
the city tax of about three per cent is re-
garoed as very serious matter, while the
State tax Of twenty-one mills is insup-
portable. To tighten these burdens on
the property and business of this city an
additional contribution is about to be
called for on the pretense that it is needed
for the purpose of entertaining the mem
bers from the country by citizens of New
Orleans" This implies that the delegates
from the charlottesville representatives
of the wealth, intelligence and respecta-
bility" Of the country parishes. are too
poor to pay their board bills for the week
or SO they are expected to remain here.
So, instead Of the convention being
means of bringing money to the city. it
is to be an expense. The representatives
Q: SO much wealth are to be quartered
upon al Impoverished people as pen.
sioners. while our local strapped poll.
ticians are expected 70 improve the oppor.
tunity 70 wiring all they can on. OF our
citizens on their own account.
This action Of the Committee Of Seventy
looks to us like hiring hands to hold
popular convention. and begging money
to pay their laborers. And this suspicion
destroys all belief in the popular charac.
te, OF the movement For if there is such
i need for q political revolution as our
septuagints pretend to believe. the people
will come forward spontaneously and pay
their own expenses. This appeal to the
purses Of New Orleans business men
comes at peculiarly inopportuae mo.
men:. Just az this time those who SIN
cere!y desire the prosperity o. the State
are devising the ways and means 70 bring
cotton bales to the city. There is no pub
lie necessity for an influx of country
statesmen. One bale Of cotton. or hogs.
.ead Of sugar. is worth bakers dozen Of
such country politicians as require pecu.
nary assistance to accomplish a weeks
.isit 70 the city For such men, once
acre. will become the property Of their
and be compelled to vote as
hey are told. 0. be discharged from the
erv:ce and turned out Of the boarding
louseso
Now. the advice we give 20 our citizens
Who may be honored with requests for
heir autographs in these little books is,
iont give anything. If they do it will
,e worse than money thrown away. for it
viii be to take it out of legitimate bust.
1ess to support q movement intended to
,eep the affairs Of the State from settling
lown into something like good order. So
ong as agitation is rife in the land, the |
POLITICAL adventurer makes his harvest and
ives without work, supported by those
gAc do Look at the money that was col
ected and squandered last winter. This |
ras furnished by persons who were &C.
tally struggling 10 keep their heads above |
rater. fighting to keep the wolf from the
oor. the notary from their counting |
ooms. Few of those who lavished their |
money then, under duress Of a manufac- |
ured mob spirit, know how and for what
was spent. But the threatened renewal |
f the attack this winter proves that it
siled to effect the ostensible object for
-hich il was raised; but the success of the
electors encourages the hope of another
lcrative season in the same field. Our
lerchants We're most egregiously cheated
zen. and those who imposed upon them
ere to blame. If they suffer the fraud
} be repeated they will have themselves
, blame. But we believe from certain
SinnS and outoiyinos that if