New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-07-09
The HxpENsEs OF REBUILDING.

| The EXPENSES OF REBUILDING.
| We notice TINT the Democracy b
adopted the comfortable theory that tn
whole public debt, State and city, i
chargeable TO the Republican party, will
the necessary inference that if the contro
OF public affairs had continued in tn
hands of ''the people," which is anothe
name they adopt sometimes, there woult
have been neither debt nor poverty, foot
nor famine, sickness nor death, nor any
thing else that is disagreeable, unless
perhaps, such as might be experienced il
a modified form by the colored people
and the white laboring classes. The fact
that little, if any of the State debt, has
been incurred for Republican excuses, is
studiously avoided. That the limited
time during which we have enjoyed Re.
publican city administration was occupied
in the main in devising ways and means
to provide for the floating obligations un-
paid by their Democratic predecessors.
Both the State and city debts represent.
in part, unpaid taxes. During period
OF three or four years scarcely any collec-
tons were made. City notes and State
certificates in the similitude of green
backs were issued by the same Democracy
that now insists that the United States
shall return Immediately to the practice
Of specie payments. This sort of paper
was launched out by the ream. Micawber
like, after having paid their debts with
these L o. Us, they consoled themselves
with the satisfactory reflection that they
had discharged great duty to society {!
About 100000 in city notes were is
sued, besides more than 100000 in
State cert ficates. In addition to this
$4,000, 600 of levee bonds were authorized,
and not one dollar of taxation provided to
meet this immense load of $1,000, 600.
All this was done before colored vote
was cast in this State.
Having plunged the country into a
senseless political war, which resulted in
paralyzing the agricultural interests Of
the whole State, these political charlatans
put their heads together, and drew their
drafts on posterity in the shape of inter-
minable debts, contracts and obligations,
in which the benefit was always on one
side. The Democrats burnt down their
political house, and had to abandon it.
The Republicans have undertaken to re-
build the whole fabric, at considerable
expense, and the very parties in fault
wish to throw all the blame on the con-
tractors. Had there been no folly, there
would have been no war, and hence no
ruin. Without ruin there would have
been no necessity for repairs. While the
people were impoverished by the sacri-
ices they were forced to make to sustain
he war, they could not pay their taxes,
ret there was little abatement in the pub
ic expenditures Of either State or city,
wen under the unquestioned rule of the
X Confederate politicians. Ruined re-
probability had to be provided for, even
t the expense of substantial inter-
,sts. By the time the Republicans
anne into power the foundation Of
le present debt was laid, and habits |
contracted which rendered the subse-
luent administration of affairs exceed
ngly difficult Men who had borne an
influential part in the ante-bellum legis-
alton appeared as lobbyists in the inter-
st Of jobs and measures of more than |
doubtful morality. Had these same talents
,een exerted in the cause Of economy and
honesty, the expenses of rebuilding the |
destroyed fabric would have been greatly
As it is, the people have
'een required practically to pay not only |
he floating debt of past years, which was
lied up without any provision being |
aade to meet it, but the interest also, in |
edition to defraying the current expenses.
nd the opposition have persistently tried
. raise such a smoke about the extrav-
gance of the last named item as to |
over the faults they committed when |
hey had the government.
A very large proportion Of the public |
evenue goes for interest IF we accept
be oft-repeated though inaccurate state
lent of the opposition that the debt of |
be State and city foots up $50, 900, 600, on
1hich the average interest is seven per cent,
re find that 81, 200, 600 per annum has to
Q raised for that purpose. As the debt is |
eally s35, 100000 it requires s2,45O,0O0,
hitch is just what this people are paying |
very year for the luxury of waging
opeless war against freedom and the
Jnion. But even this burden, with cur
emit expenses added, would be a mere
agatelle for this State if there were that |
,yalty to law and order which are neces-
ary for healthy commerce and for the
romotion of agricultural interests. With
lender means, any debt is burden. On
ne other hand, if our Democratic friends,
'ho claim to possess the greater portion
the capital of the State, though def
lent in votes and political virtue, had
aid that attention to preserving their pri-
ate fortunes that they have to the
lanner in which their neighbor voted,
hey would have reaped more satisfactory
esults. /
As the REPUBLICAN has always main
lined, our troubles do not spring from
Official causes. That is to say, the eff