New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-06-20
TIE STATE AND MUNICIPAL FINANCIAL
POLICIES COMPARED.

| reputation Will take care OF Itself. Eve
> his opponents and rivals will respect h
b success. and inyoluntarily proclaim b
merits. The same is true of dynasty ,
q political party. 4 rigid enforcement
the law, an intelligent obedience to o
ders, and due diligence in the line of dut
will result in success and the approval an
satisfaction Of employers in both publ
and private station.
The Picayunc furnishes us an illustr:
ton Of a case il point. In contrastin
the State financial policy with the munic
pal it finds heavy balance to the credi
Of the former. Neappend an extract froI
the very judicious remarks Of Our neigh
Dor:
The State collectors land this ia especial
! true in the case of the First Districtj, ar
succeeding very satisfactorily in their work
Money Is flowing freely i'll. bills are bt ini
taken up, delinquences Cancelled and til,
business of collection generally pushed will
| vlSOr and success. Oa the other hand, thu
city collectors are doing comparatively
nothing. Payments have been slackenine
! for some time past. until now they have
! almost ceased entirely. And. to crown all
| th'a. ths Property Holders Union appears
with petition, the effect OF which would
be to change the form OF receipts hencetoIth
I from cash to CITY scrip.
! The point of the contrast consists in the
| fact that. whereas the Republican State
! government is rapidly returning to a sound
and healthy financial condition. the Demo.
cratic city government is rapidly sinking
into condition OF financial jT becility.
We can not attribute the faults pointed
on: by the Picayune to the difference in
the political sent iments of the respective
tax collectors. SO much as to the manner
IN which their duties are defined by law.
The pay Of the State officials is made con.
tingent on their performing the service.
The city officials are paid by the month.
whether they collect anything or not. The
one works for himself. and has a pecu.
MARY interes. in the thoroughness of his
performance. The other works by the
clock. and is easily persuaded that it is
more popular TO let the taxpayers alone
than to stimulate them to pay their dues.
There is an army OF constituents behind
each Of these officials. however. which
exer: some influence. The mass of the
Republican party insist upon a faithful ad-
ministration of the laws. On the other
hand. the tax-resisters, composed mainly
OF men who are supposed to be wealthy.
but who do not wish to pay taxes. form a
element of the Democracy, and |
they have dignifed the habit Of tax-resist-.
ing into a sentiment, if not an actual prin.
cipal Of policy Of the party which they |
aiilict by their supposed alliance. As the
Picoyane informs us. score or so of these |
de!inquents. representing an indebtedness
to the city Of some eighty Or hundred
thousand dollars. nre now before the
Council with petition to have the time
%. paying their ora taxes postponed, on
he ground that very poor people. and no.
ably widows and orphans. ought not to be
distressed. The petitioners are neither
Widows nor orphans. and are not specially
uthoriz ed to represent any Of this class
# people. Nor is it necessary they
hould be. for we have not heard that the
i:y is about to move Oh the more unfor.
innate portion Of the delinquents first.
y the time the petitioners and some ten or
welvc hundred more like them. who are
eIieved to be abundantly able to pay,
hall have walked up to the captains
flee and settled. the Council will be in a
ondition 10 consider the case of the
idows and orphans. Perhaps the prop.
'i;ion to accept pay in city scrip from
'esc objects of solicitude will then re-
i've more favorable consideration than it
ossibly can now. coupled as it is with
e understanding that the rich petitioners
ay come in tor the benefits Of such
easure.
The policy Of the State is successful v
cause it is wise and just. That which Il
IS been so long pursued by the city has P
suited in miserable failure because it is g
ither. An unjust discrimination is made d
alnss the man who pays promptly in P
vor of him who does not. When the II
'mocratic City Council finds out the n
y to faithfully administer the laws. Vi
'ictly according to the letter and the ia
lrit, and let the consequences take care Of p
emselves. the great municipal financial u
Oblem Will have been solved, and not be- re
e. We believe both the city and State pl
penses have now been reduced TO the i
nlmum. The State has approached the m
1Xlnum of collections. while the misera. OF
:. shiitless policy pursued by the city has
d the effect OF discouraging payments &C
the extent thatan almost total stoppage nc
seriously threatened. Let the Council N
'Gt the very unwise plan proposed by lie
tax resisters. and the City Hall may to
closed for the season and the employees pl
en- an indefinite leave Of absence. Of
J: IS a matter of pride and congratula- fee
to rs TO see this recognition OIL the bu
t Of the Picaytns OF the superior I'll
ri:s OF the State financial policy. We no
aware Of the fact that that policy is we
by any means perfect. Something by
re is needed to give satisfaction. The pu
ign and domestic bcndholders have an
carefully and securely provided for. ma
lie the ordinary home creditor. the is
Ie officers and many Others who devote BILE
r time and talents to the service of the rec
e are not able 10 come within thirty lad
forty per cent Of the treasury. But abb
know that We are on the road to perfect the
'ency. The laws are all that is ueces. im]