The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-04-17
THE VOICE OF THE PRESS.
SEVERE CONDENSATION OF MIR. sCHNEiD

| SEVERE CONDEMNATION Of NH.
The Bee, German Gazette and Republican
all Join the Bulletin and the City Council
in censuring Mr.. Schneider for the irregu
larities which he committed and permitted
in the Department of Finance. The Times
( was silent, and the Picayune, of all the city
journals, attempted to smooth the matter
but the Pics endorsement of anybody is q
matter of small moment in this community
and we are willing to take orr position with
those papers that have had the courage to
speak their minds freely on a matter which
vitality concerned every citizen Of New
Orleans.
| The Republican, which maintained silence
during the investigation, thus spoke out
after the report of the committee and the
weak excuses of the Administrator were
published:
Mr.. Schneider has filed an answer to the
charges recently made against him, and
asked to have it spread upon tho minutes OF
| the Council. The legal effect Of his answer
is plea of culpability in some degree, with
an attempt to justify on various grounds:
L, He Nau Ill tuc COuTSc VI OIuCldl uuSIuCoS
received a worthless check for $l4OO in pay
good by the exchange Of one class Of metro
politan warrants for another worth three or
four cents in the dollar more.
2. He had, on previous occasion, sue
ceeded in having taken into the treasury a
quantity of metropolitan warrants at ninety
cents that were about to come in at par,
thus saving about 10000 to the city, which
Of course was lost to the holders of the war
rants.
Whether it may he set down to the credit
that he has saved small sum to the public
at the expense Of private parties is a ques-
ton in ethics which was discussed pro and
con with some earnestness last fall, without
any definite result, uRless the abandonment
Of the practice by Mr.: Clinton may be said
to have been casnsed by it. 1t certainly
ought not to be SO construed as to give the
officer who engages in it any privileges
which he does not otherwise possess.
3. Mr.. Schneider further urges that he
has, on several occasions, assisted the city
out of financial embarrassments by the en-
plOyInent of his private means. As this
was undoubtedly substantial service he is
entitled to such just compensation as may
be proper, to be ascertained in the usual
manner and voted by the Council. But it
is manifestly improper for him to offset a
credit mark of this kind which stands in his
favor by such regulation of his office as
would give himself and friends the advan
tage of three or four points over competitors
who are not so favored.
Lastly, the Administrator urges that the
city has not Lost a dollar by the acts com
planned of. This plea goes to mitigation
of damages, but does not afford the slightest
grounds of justification.
We regard the answer as that of a man
who feels that he has committed an impru
dent act, but is willing to submit to the
mercy of his judges. 1t is certainly no de-
Tense at all We shall not demand that he
be harshly dealt with, though we hope there
will be no repetition Of the acts complained
of. We learn that the Council has instruct
ed the Mayor to reprimand the accused,
which appears to lis to be as light a sentence
as he could reasonably expect.
After commenting on the proceedings Of
the City Council the Bee speaks tius of Mr..
Schneider:
From the n. o. Bee, April 15thl
As to the charges Of irregularity which
were established, we are of the opinion that
he fully merits the vote of censure ordered
by the Council.
The City Hall has always had the reputa-
ton Of indulging in acts Of favOritisnl, and
the system of paying the current expenses
in certificates facilitated this practice. Mr..
Schneider, nominated as the Reform candi-
date, owes it to himself and to the party
that nominated him, to pnt an end to prac-
tees of that kind. He should, BY the regu-
lar:ty Of his conduct, place himself beyond
all suspicion of cOnn:vance. We regret that
he has not realized those expectations.
His excuse for the first irregularity is
The idea of endeavOring to
recover the $l4OO-lost on account of Il
worthless check-by profits to he realized on
certificates, is altogether Incompatible with
the character and duty Of a public function
ary. As to the affair of the exchange of
warrants, the Administrator is
ikew Use blameable for permitting their ex !
change at profit Of a third, which he had
on his own account.
Mr.. Schneider, from our standpoint, was
charged with work of reform, that of put |
ing an end to all of those questionable re-
ports that hung around the City Hall, the |
,ffices of spectators aid brokers, and hang |
rs on. He should have taken steps to this end |
But instead Of this, he permitted things |
% fall into their old course to the great |
letriment of the creditors Of the city, who |
we're obliged to suffer a heavy discount on |
heir claims. As for instance, the Gas Com
,any preferred to sell its warrants at con-
iderable loss, rather than to wait an indef- |
lite time for their payment.
Mr.. Schneider, therefore, has disappointed
lis constituents and public opinion, both by
cts Of omission and commission. The most |
adorable Judgment we can pronounce upon
lin, is that he did not understand or misin-
erpreted his trust.
The c.c Sada q hrin VinU ahOut
ONE very curious operations in different