New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-06-01

the circumstances which might nave sue
gested such an inquiry as "What shall
we do to be saved?" Saved in temporal
sense; saved in our daily bread and bust.
ness; saved in our material as we'll as
moral welfare. New Orleans has not been
city supported by the daily labor of its
inhabitants. It has rather subsisted by
factorage or sale of the labor products OF
others. New Orleans has been city of
great charity, and is so still. But it has
been regarded as a city devoted greatly to
the pleasures and follies of the world.
Even the philanthropists have insensi-
bly, come to appeal rather to the love Of
pleasure and folly than to the sense of
moral obligation of the people, and we
have balls and spectacles as the means of
collecting funds for the relief of misery.
There have been many examples in past
history of cities which relied rather on
appeals to the love Of pleasure than to the
industrial employment of their people.
Capua, which has been succeeded by
its neighbor, Naples, was city whose
business was pleasure. 1t had once
population of 300, coo, which has almost
disappeared. Communities which rely
upon or indulge in pleasure to the exclu-
sion of business soon find their people de-
generating into dependence upon the
more wealthy. Such people insensibly
think more of pleasure than of business.
and seek to avoid labor as a means of Sc
curing enjoyment.
1t is becoming very obvious that New
Orleans can not subsist even her present
population without additional labor. It
is also plain that with receipts annually
decreasing in value, there can be no adj
ditional population subsisted on the mere
factorage of these values. Hence the pub
lie mind is too sad and too solicitous to
enjoy spectacles. 1t is exercised with the
material question how to be saved in the
subsistence and independence of its men,
bers. Society is logically pushed to the
conclusion that there must be more in
dustry and more economy. Society sees
that in idleness and dissipation there is
waste of social substance. 1t, therefore,
admits that the man of regular habits and
of regular industry has more at the end of
the week than the idler or the spendthrift
The employer sees that clerk or cashier
who spends his Sabbaths or part of them
at church, and his evenings with his
family, is not so apt to make up his de-
fciencies of income out of his employers
money, as another who keeps fast horses,
and devotes his time and means to pleas
ure.
One who is compelled to support the
family Of some unfortunate relative, sees
that if these dependent persons we're en-
ployed at wages, and content with an
economical life, they would burden their
patron far less. Hence on inquiry what
we shall do to be saved in a material
sense, men come to the conclusion that
industry and morality is a capital thing
for clerks and cashiers, and that religion,
its consultations and its obligations, will |
answer first rate for brothers-in-law in
clined to be profigate, and even for fam
lilies fond of dressing well and going to
balls and other festivities.
The congregation and sermon at the
Academy of Music were excellent indica-
tions-frst of catholic spirit of benevo-
lence, which will do good without respect |
to time place or persons, and, secondly, |
of spirit of inquiry among our people,
which tends to the conclusion that sober,
industrious and economical man is more
profitable member of society than his OPP
posite, and that even if people JON a
church and teach their children trade
why, after all, it may be good thing for
them, and is no bad thing for the public,
which has to pay for Furnishing crime or
for restitution.