New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-12-02
PREPARING FOB THE ONSET.

The newly installed Administrators
evidently do not intend to stand up to an
empty rack. There is good supply of
fodder in the hands of the people, which
is about to be SOLICITED, as indicated
by the address of the new members:
We are, therefore, compelled to solicit
payments by all the means in our power
When we recall the means of ''solicita-
ton" which the law has placed in their
hands, We can be at no loss to understand
that an unpleasant request has been
couched in the softest language compatl-
BILE with fair understanding of the
course to be pursued. The hardness OF
individual cases is fully recognized,
though softened as much as possible with
the expression Of official regrets, which
is something of concession, though
not enough to offset the hardship
of paying long delayed tax out
of scanty means. The first princi-
pie of reform which the new admin
istration announces is the inevitable de.
termination to make delinquents pay up.
It surely did not need weary canvass
or the expenditure of torrents of abuse
of Kellogg and other Republicans who
are not responsible for one dollar Of city
indebtedness to announce such a plan of
reform. Had these same officials, when
they were merely citizens. exerted them.
selves in the right direction as they did to
secure their own nominations at Grune.
valid Hall, the work of reform, according
to their ideas, might have been accom-
plished by this time. Had any pressure
been brought to bear upon the Wilt adj
ministration. it would have been more
vigorous, and the back taxes now due pro.
portionately reduced in volume. Orifa por-
ton of the factions that 60 to make up the
Mosaic compound which boasts itself
anti Radical, haI ceased to whine at the
distresses of people in whom they had
only contingent interest, in the shape
| of vote. the collectors of the late adj
ministration would have left behind them
| a much better reputation for official zeal
than they are likely to enjoy. But the
trick of announcing a thing which adj
dressed itself to the hopes Of the idle.
| avaricious and the dishonest as public
opinion. paralyzed the efforts of the SER
wants OF the people. Collectors were
falsely called public robbers. and a tax
resister had as much honor in the fra.
ternity as the most successful Glib
crackers in the days of Jack Shepherd.
But these gentlemen have found out the
true road to reform at last. Let us not
ask why they remained SO long in the
dark: why they waited till after they We're
sure Of their position before they told
confiding people that the only way to re.
form is to pay. and solicitations by every
means in their power will be resorted to.
We only file q caveat in order that pre-.
ceding administrations, whose great fault
has been leniency and neglect Of duty.
may not be censured too severely wien
the inventors OF this patent reform shall
be rolling in wealth solicited in the
manner indicated. As they have
just announced their duty. We hope
they will discharge it. The REPUBLICAN
will not call them robbers. nor. as
We hope. will the friends OF the
late administration form themselves into
tax resisting factions. and adop. fierce
resolutions against the ''tyrannical op-
pressors Of this people, There will be
some disappointment and consequent
| grumbling when a number Of confding
though superficial people discover that
their most cherished and trusted tax re.
sisters change their minds when they turn
from outs to ins. But there is no help for
people who refuse to think for themselves,
and We leave these to await the approach
of the gentle solicitors who will be sent
out from the sheriff-s Office with means
in the, shape Of writs. We shall be well
satisfied if men have been found at last
who are determined to make bad citizens