New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-10-15
A caEcK On PUBLIC EXPENDITURES.

break-neck pace. Until the constitutional
amendment was adopted, restricting the
State debt to $4,000, 600, there was no
check whatever to either State OF city
expenditure That judicious measure
came too late to do much good. and 1t
put the maximum too high for the abilities
of the people. The State is really poor
Nearly all the net earnings Of the planters
and the laborers are anticipated before the
crops are sent to market, and the people
Of the city VIGOROUSLY live from hand to
mouth, having nothing but charity from
abroad to fall back upon in case, from
any cause, the planters fail them. But the
old habits stick to the people-hablts whlcn
were contracted under different condition
of affairs The popular idea prevails
that if one years revenue or crop falls
short of the amount necessary to meet
the current expenses there may be safe
resort to borrowing. But the past SIX or
seven years experience has demonstrated
the fact that it is impossible to bring the
State and municipal income up to the
amount required to keep up the establish
ments fashioned Upon the old models.
Hence, there is annual deficit. The peo-
pie grow poor year by year, and the pub
lie debts grew larger, until the State was
checked by the amendment OF 1870
There has been no such limit established
in regard to the city, nor any provision
established by law to check the growing
habit of increasing what is commonly
denominated floating debt, arising from
contracts and the excess of liabilities over
the budget
The attention of the last Legislature
was called to this important subject, and
a Joint resolution passed proposing an
important amendment to the constitution.
A similar one had already been passed in
regard to the State debt, and both will be
submitted to the voters at the next cleo
ton for ratification or rejection. During
the recent scramble for places on the
tickets to be placed in the field, these
amendments have been overlooked by the
Democracy. At least there has been no
very decided affirmative expression OF
opinion. The combined energies Of the
party appear to have been concentrated
upon one single object-to find honest
men for Office, and in this grand search
each aspirant went straight to his own
looking-glass and proclaimed the glad
tiding, that the man SO much wanted had
been found. It is pleasant to know the
search was successful We are willing to
concede this much. But as we said on
the eve of the election of 1872, something
more than honest clerks are required
to transact the public business salts
factorily. The outgoing city administra-
ton has maintained fair reputation on
the score of integrity, yet the city debt
has been increased three millions Of dol
lars under their management. We want
constitutional amendment that will
make further increase impossible. The
ratification ofjoint resolution No. p. which
may be seen in another part of the Re
PUBLICAN, will be Of much more substan-
tial value to the property holders of New
Orleans than the substitution of either
Mr.. Leeds or Mr.. Labatut for Mr.. Wilt.
If it is not deemed out Of place, We
shall be glad to hear from the two candi-
dates upon this important matter. Espe-
cially should we like to hear from Mr..
Leeds. Is he in favor Of the adoption of
constitutional restrictions to the city
debt and fair and impartial collection of
the taxes? Or does he propose to 60 on
in the same old slipshod way that has pre-
vailed in ouf municipal administration
for ten or fifteen years-to run in debt
whenever possible, and leave from one
fourth to oDe-half the taxes uncollected-
OF turn over an entire new leaf and keep
the expenses within the actual receipts?
Gentlemen who depend upon popula,
favor for employment often find it diff
cult to protect the treasury from their POI
litical friends, especially when the attack
is concealed under the plausible mask OF
great improvement. and We suppose
neither Mr.. Leeds nor Mr.. Iabatut will
find himself an exception 90 the rule. A
prohibition which can not be removed
by q vote Of the Council OF a judgment Of
a court is the only thing that can be de-
pended upon to protect the people from
the imposition Of burdens which they are
unable TO stand.
The Republican party is pledged to the
adoption Of tho proposed amendments TO
the constitution. They were proposed
by a Republican Legislature, and have
been reafirmed by the various conven-
tons in their platforms. But We have
seen no decided expressions Of opinion
from the Democracy. While Mr.. Laba.
tut may be considered pledged by his
party friends upon this subject, Mr..
Leeds may think himself free 70 act
according 70 his own discretion. It be-
comes, therefore, matter Of some mo-
ment to know how be stands, and what
are his intentions in regard to this vital
question
THE RIGHT TO An OFFICE