The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-05-14
THE MUNICIPAL TROUBLE,

AAo muuuAo Ii Guy 8ualIS ID just now the
principal topic Of conversation on the streets
and in financial circles, and the question on
every bodys lips is, s'What shall be done to
save the city from utter financial ruin?' This
is very easy question to ask, but by no
means SO easy to answer.
There are an hundred different schemes,
and all of them have their advocates, but we
have heard Of none that gives the radical re-
lief that is absolutely necessary to enable the
city government to perform its functions sat-
isfactorily. 1t seems to us, however, that the
very first thing to be done is to cut down ex-
penses.
The machinery of the municipal govern
ment is vastly too complex, cumbersome and
expensive, and should be changed at the ear
lest practicable moment There are too
many departments, and the sooner we lop
of the Departments of Police, Commerce
and Water Works, the sooner we will arrive at
something like reasonable basis.
There is no reason why the city affairs cam
not be administered by Mayor, Controller,
Treasurer, Street Commissioner and Sur
veyor. 1t has been done before and can be
done again, and there are numbers of good
and estimable citizens who will be willing to
serve the city as Aldermen for the honor
which that position confers.
This system Of having beven departments,
each of which is supreme in its own sphere,
was Radical measure devised for the pur.
pose of creating comfortable places for friends
and partisans, but it has more than served its
purpose, and the people are much too poor to
maintain it. The system is wrong, and q
very lengthy experiment has proven it to be
much more expensive than the old. The
charter cannot, of course, be changed until
after the meeting Of the Legislature, but in
the meantime the Council caa devote itseli
assiduously to the collection Of taxes and to
the reduction of their employees to those who
are absolutely necessary to perform indispensa
BILE labor.
It seems to us thet the Department of As
sessments having been enjoined from per
forming the duty devolving upon it under the
charter -eDjoined upjustly as We think, but
under an act that will unquestionably be
maintained in our present courts-should for
the time being cease to be an expense to the
city.
MIR. Bouny, who is a most capable Officer
and estimable gentleman, it strikes US, might
very we'll say to the Council that since he is
prohibited from performing the duties of his
Office, he will relieve the city Of the expense
incident to running the same, until the mat.
ter can be judicially determined, reserving,
of course his rights in the premises
We are aware that great reductions have
been made in some of the city departments
but we believe that many more can be made
without detriment to the public welfare.
Retrenchment is always disagreeable, but
it is just now necessity which cannot be
shirked. The Administrators have got tc
look the matter squarely in the face, and
bring down expenses a long way within
receipts, or they will be compelled to turn
the city over to receivers, who will settle ur
its affairs.
Since writing the above We learn that Mr..
Bouny, Immediately upon the service ct the
Injunction, placed the matter before the
Council, and it was at once decided to sus-
pend the officers and employees engaged in
making city assessments until the matter was
decided in the courts. This action was
highly commendable, and exactly what We ex
pected of Mr.. Boupy.