New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-11-24
NEW ORLEANS REPUBLICAN, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER a. 1874.

petitions have been successful by tssd-
some majorities, and will enter upon the
discharge of their duties without further
contest. It is, emphatically, case of one
Democratic administration succeeded by
another Of the same political faith, and,
Of course, no change except OF officials,
is popularity expected. Let US hope,
however. that the general judgment is at
fault in the matter. and that some degree
Of energy in the discharge of official duty
will characterize the Leeds administra-
ton. City officers ore employed chiefly
for two things-to collect the revenue
and expend it economically. For this
the Mayor is paid $500 a year. and
given many assistants; the several ad-
ministrators are paid $4,000. and each
given almost unlimited power to en-
ploy others to do his work for him.
Besides, there has been . small law
university attached to the City Hall,
whose professors are popularity supposed
to be able and willing to pursue any de-
faulting debtor 20 the final resort-the
execution. The machinery has hitherto
been ample and very expensive. yet re-
suits have not been satisfactory. 1t ap-
pears there is the enormous amount of
81, 800. 600 due the city treasury from de-
linquent taxpayers. The city has paid a
very large sum for the collection Of these
taxes, but received inadequate service.
The pay has been drawn much more
promptly than the work has been per-
formed, and il the latter had been we'll
done. the former would have been still
more satisfactory. The outgoing Admin
istrator retires with city credit worth on
an average forty cents on the dollar: sew
eral millions of floating debt: a few Of
unpaid matured bonds, and nothing in
sight on the right side of the balance
sheet. Perhaps we may be told, as an
offset to these manifest disadvantages.
that few or none have been oppressed or
distressed in goods and chattels by forced
sales for city dues. If we admit that those
who have paid their taxes voluntarily have
not felt any hardship in the duty. while
all those who have been permitted to shirk
their duty are really INDECENT there would
be some force in such plea. But such is
far from being the case. The majority in
amount of the delinquents are reputed to
be wealthy. some Of whom openly boast
of the gains they make by delaying pay
ment. while those who have taken out
their tax receipts generally belong to the
poorer classes.
There is but one way out of the great
difficulties which beset the city on all
sides-but one plan Of salvation. and that
is to insist upon every officer and citizen
discharging his entire duty. Honesty and
economy are most excellent virtues in
public officers. but Mayor Wilt and his
brethren have found out the REPUBLICAN
was right when i: advised them that some.
thing beside is required to succeed in
managing the affairs of large establish
ment. These great and rare virtues will
not collect taxes. no matter how well they
may administer the limited fund paid in
by voluntary contributors. The new city
government must be more active than
their predecessors. or they will fail sig
nally in a very short time. Will they do
this: Many people fondly suppose that
because one Of the prominent members of
the incoming government was once iden-
tilted with the tax resisters there is to be
no more tax collecting at all, but that an
easy patent method of running the city
without expense vii! be introduced. The
good people who reason thus forget that
politician sometimes entertains opinions
when out of Office which he soon learns
viii! not work when he gets in. We sup
pose they will be enlightened upon this
point without delay. We certainly hope
so, for it is a pity to let the credit of this
city die out altogether because its officers
will not do their duty.