The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-15
THE CITY CHARTER VETOED.

The message of Gov. Kellogg Of April IA,
returning to the Senate, in which it orig
mated, bill amending the charter OF the
city OF New Orleans, unsigned and With his
objections, was not among the least notice
able incidents of Wednesday. The veto, re-
CARELESS of its source or motive, will be &C.
cepted by the people Of New Orleans as .
small favor from quarter out Of which few
favor, are hoped for, and fewer still are ever
received. The owners Of property, still sad
died and panniered with double taxes and
| two governments, will now, and for the
coming eight months, breathe just little
more freely and look to the future with
| shade Of improvement in their hopes.
Whether the effect will be visible on the scale
plate OF that sensitive thermometer of bust.
ness, the price list of stocks and securities,
remains to be seen, but the simple fact that
our city government is to be let
alone for few months longer must
give TO officers and people alike slight feel
ing Of relief, faint foreshadowing Of the fu.
ture, pale glimmer Of the coming time when
pet-baggers shall be at rest. The city needs
repose and this veto gives some little respite
from legislative persecution. The unfortu-
nate metropolis has for many dismal and tedi-
Gus years been the victim of quack Legislation
and unskilled tinkering. Her form of govern
ment was changed in order that the officers
elected by her voters might be forced out and
their places he filled with Radical appointees.
Again, the laws were mutlated, perverted and
distorted SO as to give the election Of Mayor
and Council to Radicals in spite Of heavy Dem
ocratic sjorities. When, at last, in 1872,
the people, for the first time in many years,
had the satisfaction Of seeing installed the
Mayor and Administrators Of their own choos- |
ing, they we're still saddened by the limited
authority and influence which rapacious Rad
ical Legislators had left to the City Council |
and by the grievous taxes which the laws Of |
the State compelled them to collec! and dis |
tribute
The Governor bases his veto on the recon-
mendation Of the members Of the Cotton Ex-
change, the Merchants Exchange and the
Chamber of Commerce. It would have been |
more in consonance with the spirit Of the i'm
portant prerogative Of veto had he found and
given reasons in the provisions of the bill.
It may be true that some who are more or
less asqua nted with city affairs favor radi-
al change in the present charter, but it would
have sounded better if the veto message had
set forth some of these changes supposed to
be needed. But whatever the moving causes
md inducements are, or ought to be, the
public will accept the veto as streak Of good
uck from source whence nothing good has
been expected.
The time may come when it will be ad-
visable for the ablest Of our public spirited
citizens, capitalists, landlords, merchants,
awyers etc, to consult with the ci!y's honest
representatives in a genuine and honest
Legislature rs to changes in the charter
my recommendation of change should come
rom leading citizens and should be received
md maturely considered by the city's Repre-
entltives and Senators, whose unanimous
dvice should alone justify any material
hange in the plan of government. If, under
nch advice, the General Assembly should see {
it to grant an amended charter, it should re- t
uire the ratification of the majority Of the
oters of the city at some special or other t
lection. Even then, it ought not to take ef- t
sct until after the expiration Of the terms Of
flee Of those elected to the Mayoralty and ]
'ounciL The sudden shock caused by abrupt t
nd violent changes in systems Of govern t
,ent are always damaging.