New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-27
PEONAoE FOR THE PEOPLE.

: >. Of the poor. Other favorites obtain
10 market lease at one price and sub-let It t
Others. These are a few Of the devices b
which the rich and cunning exact froI
: the toiling masses the means OF ilvln!
in idleness and luxury. These revenue
,e are devoted in part to reviling the Re
publican party in print and speech q
= responsible for al! the misery which thes
monopolies in great part occasio Z
Another proposition has made its appear
e ance, which Will pass the small remainde
Of the popular necessaries Of life under thu
a control Of the monopolists. Then a new
0 demand Will be made for the blood o.
Kellogg as the only repast which can
satisfy starving people.
, The city of New Orleans owes twenty.
three million dollars. For this obligation il
has scarcelya dollar of investment to show.
This interest of more than million is a
tribute imposed by the extravaganza or in
providence Of city administrations since
the date when the taubouIgs were consolid-
ated, with their debts, into the city proper
The present city administration having
gathered itself and It's friends upon a safe
spot, with abundant supplies for their
own subsistence, have decided that the
financial crerasse can not be closed, and
announce that they will let the deluge rip
and every one can take care Of himself.
! In this state Of things comes forward a
fresh set Of monopolists who propose to
undertake the satisfaction Of this twenty
three million dollars of debt if the city
viii give them the exclusive control Of
the public markets; second, the wharves
and landings; third, ell the batture and its
future accretion; fourth, the reversionary
| interest Of the city in the city railroads and
the gas works; fifth, all the real estate
belonging to the city not used for public
administration. The city is thus to
make an assignment for the benefit Of
creditors. The people are to pay re-
tail prices for the use Of water for wash
ing, drinking or cooking Or putting ont
fires. The commerce of the city is to
apply to monopoly to fix rates Of wharf
age, the railroad taxes are to be the prop
erty Of few persons and the people Of Ne,c |
Orleans are to be hired out for the term Of |
their natural lives, to pay the principal and |
interest on this twenty-three million dol
lars Of debt, now not worth in market the
half Of that sum. If this be the Democ-
racy that loves the people, if this is to be
cited as an evidence of that reform which
takes the city offices at the point of the
bayonet, we accept it as {. legitimate speci-
men Of the political hypocrisy which We
have always denounced. But we do no.
believe this magnificent job will be sus-
tanned by the conservative people of the
city.
Many proposals have been made to re-
duce the city debt. They have always
been approved by the creditors. It is
said to be debt Of such peculiar sanctity
that while the Legislature may repudiate
he State debt, it can not touch that
which has been created by its own
agent under its own authority. The
State creditor may then be sealed like
! fish, but the city creditor is above
ii such cruel operations. But if the CITY t
yves sum equal to nearly twenty per $
ent of its assessed real estate value, why 1
lot compound on the same basis that
his State and other States have done and '
cknowledge sum which it may be able r
0 provide for and pay at maturity? If p
be debt is to be enforced, it can only be r
objected to the extent of the real estate e
wned by the city. Suppose that to be il
NO, three or five millions. IS it not t
otter to surrender this property in t.
ltistaction Of the much greater d
lm now due? What! y some one viii | e.
Sclaim, ''sell the public buildings, the 81
ublic squares, tho batture" Why not? a.
hese buildings are fit for no other pur- b
oses than those for which they are occu- b.
led. Those squares can be applied to no c,
her uses than those to which they are p,
adicated by law. ia
As for the battures and the buildings d
Alch the insolvent city purchased at the be
x sales OF Lac-oix and other delinquents, al
at will all go to the creditors under the til
opposition until their debt shall lie paid co
| It's face, principal and interest. If any eli
e insurance agent will compute accord is
6 TO the tables Of Wiggleworth, what pc
g reslduary interest in those houses and pr
tture Will be worth to any infant of the ex
esent generation, we shall consider it wa
liable contribution to mortuary finance. CO
le people could get rid Of the whole ca,
bt by practical bankruptcy, and no
in shedule Of the whole real be
ate pledged. They could rent or pur- pr,
ase again such OF the property as was of
eded for public use Tho State IA
W uses rented State House and vii
ices and the city might do the an,
ne. If our high-strung financial nor ed
SIS mean to 90 the square thing let them ;za
into practical bankruptcy by giving up be,
property upon which their debt was co,
nded. But we contend that this is the saw
md of flesh Of these public creditors. br
they go one hairbreadth further and moi
ampt to hire ont the people; if they dare nro
ltend that the toilers may be held in poy
mage to the public creditor, and that inc
future food, water, fish, vegetables, ,att