The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1875-12-28
"sOUTmERN HONOR"

IA contemporary IuiuioHoo ieo AC""VA"
on Sunday, with doubleleaded leader
on the topic of Southern Honor" ant
brilliantly illustrates this honor by
citing the pretty little custom SO preva
lent among our people Of New Orleans
Of dropping five cents into the cash DO,
when entering a street car.
Per contra, our contemporary cites
the condition Of things in the Northern
cities, where conductors have to be fur
nishcd for each car, n order to see thai
passengers do pay their fares.
Well, 1t is very honest to pay for ride
in the cars, and to that extent we fee
somewhat proud OF our people. Then
again, it is more than justice to oul
needy railroad companies who pack us
50 closely In their cars, and who cannot
afford to make us comfortable.
But at last this is only picayune homes
] ty. We may pay most scrupuloilsly
our picayune for u car ride, and yet be
very lax in matters OF much greater i'm
port.
For instance, in politics 1t is quite
possible for people to act otherwise
than honorably; and II people, OF
part Of people, are derelict In this re.
gard, OF what avail will the car ride
exhibition Of honor be to them?
Suppose a people organize for a politi-
cal campaign against usurpation and
thievcry such as exists in Louisiana
suppose they announce u platform OF
answering opposition to this usurpa-
ton and thievery, and, drawing from
the walks Of private life one Of their
own number, put their standard in his
hands and pledge him to lead them to
the goal they would reach-frce and
honest government; suppose that stand
ard bearer never falters, but, making
full sacrifice Of himself, holds the stand
ard aloft through every disaster; and
then suppose that people, or part
of them including the press that pri-
marily urged them on to manly effort
suppose they should make quiet terms
OF adjustment" with the enemy, on
the half loaf principle of political &C
ton; is there anything of Southern
honor" i'm this?
Or suppose the inhabitants OF a great
city like New Orleans determined to
rise in political opposition to a city gov
ernment such as Radical rule has put
over us; suppose they saw that the
whole system OF laws for the govern
ment Of the city was pernicious, and
that some Of these laws were absolute
ly in violation Of fundamental republi-
can principles; suppose they deter
mined by peaceful means to put a
Mayor and Council In power who would
50 act as to relieve them of the burdens
under which they groaned; and suppose
the public press loudly urged them on
to action, and suppose the effort sue
cceded and the mayor and council in
stalled in office.
Now, suppose the Mayor issues his
annual message to the Council, and
therein points to the only practical
mode OF graphing with the evils COM
planned Of; and then suppose part of
the very people who dragged that Mayor
from private life and put him into his
unenviable position, struggling their
shoulders in disapprovaL and a press
that urged that Mayor forward throw
ing cold water on his efforts to contest
Radical statutes"
Suppose all this, or the half OF it, and
il it could occur in Southern city,
where would be Southern honor?"
Dropping five cents into the car box
without the presence Of a conductor to
exact it, is small but suggestive evil
dence Of Southern honesty; to fail in
support OF faithful leaders, drawn from
private life and burdened with the care
of State and cityin our time, is the most
deplorable evidence Of Southern dis
honor