New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-07-23
New ORLEANS, July q, ls:.
ED,yOR REPUBLICAN:

EDIroR REPUBLIcAN:
am enc Of your oldest subscribers, a
paying subscriber. and no deadhead: and
in my opinion-my father held the same
it is the priviiege-I should rather cav the
preyogative--of old subscribers to find
taul:. Accordingly. this letter is intended
to point out some Of the objections l have
to urge against your management Of the
REPUBLICAN,. In the first place, l must
call your attention to the fact that it is the
only paper Of any weight in thi. State de-
voted to the support Of the principles Of
our party; consequently Republicans are in
measure compelled to take il: and those
who Ar. unable or unwilling to pay
for second paper must look to
you for the satisfaction Of all those wants
which q newspaper is bound 20 supply.
These comprise many things which, in my
opinion, you neglect; for instance. you are
too easy or too indifferent about q great
many abuses which are nevertheless worthy
your attention. and belong properly to the
sphere Of newspaper criticism. am
countryman, and do not visit the city often.
" ACn = UO olA CIIldku ~ Oc 5uUChcu tV0Iy
time go out by some sight or sound or
smell inconsistent with good order and
neatness: some violation of out Of door man
ners, some imp.opriety of dress or deport-
ment in the people in the streets or cars:
some evidence of municipal neglect of duty.
some personal trespass upon the sights.
preiudices and comfort Of others-(you
need no: critioise this as literary
pe-formance-it is not intended for publica-
tion, but for your own private beuetit)-
and yet look in vain in your columns for
anything like adequate censure for any of
these shortcomings or delinquencies. You
notice some OF them occasionally: others
not at all. sIn matters where the State Off
ciais are concerned, you are perhaps ex
cusabls in dealing tendesly with offenders,
unless the otfense is fagrant: but what in
- prevents you from pitching into the
city government! Look at the abominable
condition OF the streets and roads-enough
to make saint swear himself hoarse: smell
the vile odors that assail the olfactories
from SO many Of the side streets, and some
Of the principal ones: consider the disgrace
full fact that in city dominating the third
largest river in the world. water even for
household purposes is = luxury in every
dry season. shat is. when it is most
needed, and that in case of fire two
thirds Of the city has TO depend for
this indispensable element upon cisterns
and wells. Then take ride in the street
cars and see the men sitting sidewise with
their hips and elbows incommoding their
neighbors (ladies, perhaps,. and their great
garboats Of boots sticking out in every
body's way: sometimes holding openly in
their hands the stinking stumps of half
smoked cigars: splitting on the floors. and
crowding the open doors so that the air
comes to the other passengers filtered
through their sweatsoaked clothing.
Now. if you do publish this, and perhaps
you'd better. as there is no probability of
your getting as much grumblins in any
article of your own. don't change that
word swea. into "perspiration;" it would
weaken the thing dreadfully.
And then the women-their airs and no.
tions,. their ridiculous fashions, one time
with their hair pulled up 30 high and tight
that they can hardly shut their eyes. then
dragging down their backs; their gowns at
one time spread over immense hoops SO
that they look like monstrous advertise
meats Of dry goods stores, at another 90
scimp and frightened that they can hardly
sit down. Why. it was only yesterday that
two young women got into car in which
was yiding. and az I live, l
knew more of those young women's figures
from the waist down than I did of my
wife's after six months marriage It's
shameful. and it you think such things be
meath the dignity of the press 1 don't, and
there are plenty Of my mind. What is the
press for lift isn't 20 show up abuses: And
if the things mentioned above are not
abuses would like to know what you
would call such. More anon.
GRuMBLER.
4. S.-1f you arc too fastidious to notice |
such things yourself. why don't you give
the use of one Of your columns to such of |
your readers ~ wish to call public atten-
to grievances Of various sorts! You might !
call it by my nafne. the "Grumbler's Col |
umn," and IL would be more read than ]
some of your elaborate historical editorials. !
G.
I'VE publish Grumbler's communication
~ compliment to an an old subscriber; I
but he must have read our paper very su.
perfcially not to have percei we'd OUT desire
70 reprove and call public attention to all
abuses Of public nature that might come
% our knowledge, and our willingness to
publish communications of similar nature.
as gfumbiing is not our forte,
md being amenable to good advice is, We
hereby offer to Grumbler. and all members
4 hia family. the use of a limited norton !