The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-05-14
IMPRACTlCABLE RELIEF SCHEME.

Editor Of the Bulletin:
There was an article in last Sundays ed.
ition of the Times headed, "What has to be
done?' which at first thought might strike
many readers as containing very feasible
propositions for bringing relief in the shape
of we'll paying work to thousands of the suf-
fering unemployed persons Of this city. But
theory is one thing, and practicabiiiy is an
other. After talking in q vague and exagge-
rated style about the sufferings of the poor
and the dangers arising thereof, the writer of
that article brings his propositions, which he
asserts would, if carried out, restore the city
and State to wealth and prosperity. Permit
me to direct the attention of your readers,
who may have happened to peruse that article,
to the weak points of those propositions.
First of all, if capitalists would take share
in enterprises of tina. kind, they do it with
the intention of investing their money to
great advantage. Now, what is the advantage
offered in the first proposition of this article
Their money returns, after the lapse of ten
years, with seven per cent interest. Now,
does the writer Of that article really imagine
this to be tempting inducemsnt for capital
lists to invest their money, while first mort
cages will bring ten, twelve, and even more
per cent? While banks and Insurance COM
panies in prosperous times pay besides per-
centage Of ten cents on the dollar, very
acceptable dividend? While there are all
kinds Of bonds and other papers to speculate
with and Lave chance Of accumulating
riches without any trouble?
And again: Does the writer of that article
imagine to find thousand heads of families
being SO guilty of such criminal carelessness
as to engage in q ten years work with the pros
pect OF being kicked cut at the end Of that
term without having received any remunera-
ton for their labor? Granted that, with con-
tinued prosperous seasons, man might be
able to pay his debts in the course of ten
years, what will he do if one years bad har-
vest rcbs him of the benefits of half dozen
good years? If he should have succeeded in
paying off most of his debts, and having, per-
haps, only one hundred dollars more to pay
during the last year, dearth or oyerfowing
would destroy all his crops and rob him OF
all his prospects and hopes; and, after toiling
ten long and weary years, he and his family
would find themselves on the street poorer
than they were before? So much for this
The last proposition is equally crowded
with impracticabilities.
There does not seem to be great inclina-
ton among the poor of this city to enter into
moss gathering; if there were, there would be
more at work at it. Any person can start in
that line without the aid Of the capitalists.
There is no trouble in finding the proper
PLACES, for moss is found everywhere in this
State, and there is no expense in travelling
thither, az they can find plenty of moss in
the immediate neighborhood; SO, there is no
occasion for the capitalist to lend his aid in
carrying on the gathering of moss. Besides,
il the business would be carried on on so
large scale as the writer suggests, the market
would be flooded with that article, and
the value of it would become so
low that it would not pay to tfade in it any
more. These are few of the weak points
The article is crowded with.
Yours respectfully, AB.c.