New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-25
Ruin RArHER THAN OoMPR01usE.

| BUN RATHER THAN COMPROMISE.
We should like. to know the attorney
and special pleader who drew up the pro
posal to convert all the property and
franchises of this city into cred''
foncier ct mo5ilier? We pass by any
criticism of such q stupendous job which
would farm out the city markets, water
supply, bsttures and other property upon
the assumpsit of the public creditors to
manage all these public functions in pay
ment of their debt and interest 1t might
be great economy that this credit
foncier ct naobiier could effect an entire
saving of the Mayor and Common
Council. 1t is not, however, for such
reason that we would like to know
the name of that astute attorney. He has
explained, through committee of the Ad-
.ninistrators, how it is that the city is
ruined by the public debt of twenty-three
millions, while neither the late ror pre-
sent Democratic city Administrators, are
| responsible for its existence or its daily
increase. It is this ingenious argument
which has excited our curiosity to know
the ingenious counsel who prepared the
report. The present administration he's
done its whole duty. 1t has reduced the
salaries and number of its officers and
employees to the lowest scale compatible
with the collection of greenbacks enough
to pay those salaries and expenses
This is perfectly right. Public Of
fcers can not be expected to work with
out adequate compensation, and if the
revenues are not sufficient to subsist all
who claim public support, why the chief
and head of party should be abundantly
provided, since in keeping alive the head
the sordid and subordinate members will
be kept alive. 'Don't cry, children,
said an affectionate father, who had just
licked up the last mouthful on the table;
''dont cry, children, you should remem-
Der that what daddy eats is for the good
of the whole family" So the supperless
supporters of the Democratic city govern
ment must stay their stomachs with the
same sort of reasoning.
But this remarkable document proceeds.
Having demonstrated that the fathers of |
the city have economical their own
salaries and further, that the impover-
ished people have not paid half the taxes
of last year, and are even less able to pay
those Of the present, it exonerates the
Council entirely from further respon-
sibility by alleging the cost of the police,
schools and park tax. Let us touch this
last fallacy. The attorney argues that
because the city authorities do not fix
the tax necessary to meet these public
obligations, therefore the city authorities
ire not properly chargeable with its pro-
Der expenditure. Separating the cost of
he charges stated and the interest on that
,apM mortuu'n. the city debt, the attorney
comes to the comfortable conclusion that,
If two and half per cent assumed to rest
IN city property and business, only one
lalf per c ent can be applied to what is
allied general expenses. Now, we would
ike to understand just here: Does the
ity need no police? Does it require no
choois? Is it wished that the city shall
perfect the payments heretofore made on
he Burthe property purchased for park
purposes of some Of our oldest and best
itlzens? These items are all legal obi
ations Exceeding, it may be, what the
anne serv ices should cost, but indis-
'ensable to the government of the city, and
expended entirely within and for the ben
fit of the city. The proposition to farm
ut some Of the most valuable franchises
# the city, to relieve the official Admins
rators from the drudgery of wharves and
aarkets, and ubstitute some John Law,
rho will undertake to bank and issue
ssignats Oh the revenues of the State is
worthy the fnanciers and
who denounced their Demo- {
ratio pred ecessors as incompetent to
manage the affairs of the city, and now
ropose to remit and delegate to others the
erformance of some of these most re-
ponsible duties. Relieved of these duties
nd acquitted of all obligation to econo-
lise beyond the sufficient provision for {
leir own Sc veral departments, we should
oppose the position of Administrator
ould be about as pleasant and profitable
sinecure as master of her Britannia ma q
stys stag hounds, or keeper Of the keys l
the rnyai va r0rohe | s