The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-08-25
GREAT EXPECTATIONS.

The people of this country need indulge
in no sanguine hopes of prosperity to grow
out of political changes. A party revolution
may put stop to the further increase of pub
lie debts, whether of the General or State
| Governments. 1t may result in a great reduc-
ton in the expenses of government 1t may
re-establish the dynasty of probity and honor
It may restore public respect for law, its
makers and those who administer it. The
change may lead to more ability and higher
character among public men, while increas-
ing the protection of the honest masses against
spectators and incorporated swindlers. The
whole country may breathe more freely after
trustworthy men are in power, having more
confidence in the capabilities of our repre-
sentative system and its power to preserve
political liberty. But after this and much
other good is accomplished, there will still
be much to do to restore prosperity to the
land, and chiefly that which is beyond the
ability of Congress and legislative assemblies
to accomplish.
There will still remain a mountain of pub.
lie debt resting upon the country, which will
call for nearly six hundred millions in interest
each year, and this stupendons sum must
come out of the wages and products of labor.
In one form or another, our forty millions of
people must pay an interest tax averaging
more than fourteen dollars each and nearly as
much more in taxes or duties for other pur-
poses, or for the redemption of the principal
of the public debt.
There will still remain the ruinous credit |
system which has become blight upon the |
business Of the Republic, the damage from |
which aggregates more than all our losses by
Hoods, storms, fires or frosts. 1t is an abid.
ng pestilence, an eating cancer, permanently
upon the nation 1t poisons all the
of vitality and makes the entire cor
)oreal frame of business infirm. We progress
md prosper in spite of abused credit, but
Until the prevalent notions and habits of the
ntire people of this country change on this
ubject, our progress will be itful and irregu-
ar, and our prosperity but partially assured.
A great many Of the people of this country
re non-producers. There are eight millions
f our inhabitants-one in five-of working
&c, who are mere consumers. The proper
ion is not lessening, but rather increasing. ,
he support of the idle is tax upon those 6
no work, and there is no escape from it. 1t {
lkes away the balance which the laborer
hould have at the end of the year. The sus- q
snance Of the drones keeps the whole hive t
DOR.
AS in the credit system, those who are !
onest pay the debts of the dishonest; so,
here some are idle they must be sustained !
= those who work. Incidence is vice, and r
lie non-producer is public general burden
i'd nuisance. If one-half of those who are +
abitually idle were to engage in some indus i
ial pursuit and become self-supporting, Il
icy would add not less than four hundred Il
illions of dollars year to the permanent +
ealth of the country. O
Another wealth-consuming vice, essentially II
merican, is drunkenness. Traced to its -
fects, the loss by it falls at last on the labor
the farmer and mechanic. Without data G
fore US we may safely assume that the use
IS consumption of alcoholic, malt and -
nous drinks amounts to more than two hun T
ed millions Of gallons each year. This is in o.
any ways drawback upon prosperity, and II
cause of hard times. :.
ALI these influences, joined with growing b,
,kless extravaganza, must keep the Ameri- al
n people poor in spite of the pures. and :.
st of legislation. h,
- M