New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-09-10
ARGUMENT, FORSOOTH!

The Shreveport Times has an invulner-
able position. 1t is surrounded by COM
munity which allows 10 political dis
sent, and it feeds the harmonious hatred
with violent abuse of it's political oppo-
nents. Its attacks are those of the Chi :
nese, with weapons of offensive-odor,
or like the yells with which the savages
used to assault our forefathers on the
frontier. In the present as in the past
these attempts to intimidate do not amount
to much. Waiting a moment, however,
until the efurium and fury of the Times
shall have been dissipsted we deliver our
fire. As we understood and now remem-
Der the argument Of the Times, it was
that the Republican administration of the
State government in all its departments
was responsible for all the monopolies,
debt and corruption alleged to exist in the
State Of Louisiana. To this we have re-
piled: l. That several monopolies mad
existed in Louisiana before the war. 2.
That debt and corruption were not un-
known in that halcyon era. 3. That
Democratic men had profted by the most
Objectionable of existing monopolies, and
had pro6ted by the public expenditures.
The Times will remember that we defend
ed no act Of wrong, that we simply pro-
tested against the whole odium being
heaped upon one party, while the chief
advantage was derived by members of the
other party. We professed a wish, of which
we have proved the sincerity to unite
with any and every party to reform
these abuses, We will, therefore, make
some comments in extenuation, though
we feel that with the abuse and prejudice
created against the paper and party, the
readers of the Shreveport Times will never
see, and certainly never believe any state
ment .theymay read in Republican print.
1t is a chiyalrous system, no doubt, to
commit crowd to unanimous enmity
against an antagonist; and then invite him
to combat in the midst of those enraged
and unreasoning arbiters. Such denun-
citation before such packed tribunal we
suppose the Times will call argument. :"
Argument despises the adventurous aids
of passion. 1t is degraded by verdict
secured in advance. 1t will not divide its
triumphs with prejudice or with manage
ment.
We have not singled out the canal
lease" by any means. 1t was only one
case in which Democratic legislature
had during its short time of service con-
coded the principle that political ma
jority may give to its political friends a
valuable franchise.
We might have added some other ad-
missions Of the same principle. There
was law passed providing for the ap-
pointment Of public printer. There
was an appointment Of twenty-one or
twenty-five commissioners at daily pay
of six dollars when in service. There
was an act authorizing the city of New
Orleans to recognize circulation of be:
tween three and four millions, to provide
for their conversion into bonds and lew
q tax of one-quarter of one per cent for
their liquidation. In addition to the
lease Of the New canal, it granted to a
Tightening and wrecking company the
franchise Of imposing tax Of not exceed
ing one dollar on each ton of shipping
which they should lighter over the bar of
the Mississippi. If we turn to the Demo-
cratic administration of our city govern
ment we shall find the monopoly of the
markets sold, and private persons impris-
oned for having sold food to the people,
contrary to the rights of the market mo-
nopolists. We shall find, also, the con.
troll Of the public wharves leased to pr
vate persons. and proposition now pend
ing to sell to private persons the monop-
oily Of public water; that the exclusive priv
ilege Of preparing and selling butchers
meats held by Democrats, and, in some in
stances, by Democrats active in politics, is
notorious here. We could trace the history
Of Louisiana legislation further back, and
show public debt contracted for the Nash
vile railroad without valne received. We
cosld show ofacial dsfalcations of great
magnitude. TAia isunnscqssAry. It vas
our proposition that leeislAton calling
themselves DemocrAts bad vossd for meas.
ma nov. allsssd 70 Bs sostiups; shas men
now aasiue ~ DsmocfAts have u control
Of tAsse most obnoxious and .paap9bla
n<nePsilss This TIE sfseotdsNf lsgihla.
/ ticu pgpVap Nov. Auea - GhroNDoori