New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-07-17
Is THE CITY ADMINISTRATIONS REsP0H-
sIBLE FOB TIC INCREASED CITY
nEpr0

of the city" has been increased betweel
June, 1872. and June, 1874, more thai
three-quarters of million of dollars
Here is dilemma. The interests OF tn
landlords require diminution OF taxes
The interests of the White League vii
suffer if it be shown that an administra
ton elected by Fusion reformers are n
better than their predecessors. This EN-
barrassment is thus evaded: l. The ad
ministration of the city has, by "a com
promise which we the landlords organ
have denounced, been placed in tow o
the usurpation, so that the responsible
tiles of it's failures fall as well upon NJ
Kellogg as upon its own members"
This would seem rather Gallo reason
ing. The present city administration
went into the election of 1872 as the
nominees of the Fusion Reform party. Il
was elected by the Fusion vote, except
that division Of that vote as to one Ad-
ministrator admitted single Republican.
1t did not take Office under authority OF
the same votes which gave certificate OF
election to Governor Kellogg. It is this
body so elected by the Fusion Reformers
which has, according to the organ Of the
landlords, allowed an increase of city ex-
penditures by more than tfree-quarters
of million dollars within term less than
two years, since they have been in Office.
The public expected from Fusion Reform
ers positive reduction of expenses, yet
We have here rate Of increase upon ex-
penditures which were considered by all
to have been beyond the ability of the
city to bear. Nor have all these
Fusion Reformers entirely escaped
the tongue of censure. Charges of official
complication with these expenditures have
been made, Investigated and declared
unfounded. In the public opinion the
Fusion Reform administration has effected
no improvement in the economies of its
predecessors. Now, with this nomina-
ton and election by the Fusion Reform
ers; with this abandonment by the
Republicans Of all contest for these lucra.
tive Offices, it might have been expected
that the Fusion Reformers would have
taken more than half the public offices
and expenditure in the State cum o7aere,
with the responsibility for the acts of
their nominees and representatives. It
would seem not. Mayor Witt and his
Fusion colleagues are merely barges in
tow of the tugboat Kellogg, and this tug
boat is responsible for whatever leaking or
larceny may be going on board of the
barges in tow. In this consists the Gallo
features Of logic. The Governor has no
power to appoint or remove one of these
Administrators unless be shall exercise
the powers attributed to Governor Dix Of
New York in the case of charges insti-
tuted against Mayor Havemeyer. Our
Governor can not appoint or remove any
subordinate city officer. The police has
been subject to the command of the Gov
ernor for some years before the present
came into power. The
Governor can not order or forbid an item
of city expenditure. Upon what system
of reasoning, then, can it be said that the
Fusion Mayor and these Fusion Admins
traitors are small feet Of barges in tow of
a Republican steamer? What an imputa-
ton is this upon the political in
tegrity Of the Fusion administration.
They forget their party allegiance
they commit an enhanced abuse
upon the property Of those who elected
them-they have been bound by ga COM
promise" to do these things for Republican
pleasure or profit Then, this "compro-
mise" was bargain, and Fusion reform
ers can make bargains, which, for the
private gain of the Office holders, can Sur
render all the trusts Of principle. This is
, fair inference from the premises granted
md would seem to call for some notice at
he hands of the Fusion Administrators
:hus charged with compromising away
heir duty to their party and the interests
If their Fusion constituents
This increase of debt should not be |
attributed as crime to the present city |
administration, seeing that, with existing
avs, it was next to impossible that the city |
lebt should not increase from year to year,
IS we'll under Council composed of white |
citizens as under any other. We are per-
olsxed by the reasoning employed to |
this proposition. The last War
moth Legislature fixed the limit of debt
by the city. There was at
hat date margin of some two millions.
This has been diminished by the increased
expenditures of the Fusion administration
until the margin is little more than one
million. This failure to comply with
'usion promises is explained by charging
t upon the Ignorance and venality" of the
republican Legislature, just as the failure
o execute the same Fusion pledges has
,een charged on the Republican executive.
There seems to have been defect in these
Avs of limitation. eff on one hand they
imposed limit on the debt, on the
'ther it allowed the increase of the debt
n spite of all the precautions possible.
Here is no doubt severe imputation on
he intelligence and virtue of the Repub-
lean Legislature and its Democratic
obby, but it is far harder upon the Fusion
administrators. They were elected to re-
orm abuses and reduce expenditures.
q, o.r ,.-ora ,ladoad To do ca Rnf then |