New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-14
BRASS TACKS,

There appear indications that these
significant articles of hardware may again
be in legislative demand. The passage Of
House bill empowering the Governor to
contract for the purchase of the Hotel st.
: Louis building at the incredible price OF
quarter of million of dollars, will tall
upon the public ear Ike cannonade.
Perhaps if building should be selected
for the total want of all the essential
qualities of hearing and sight, there could
be none chosen more complete in every
attribute of unfitness than this. Legisla-
lures require light and air. This build
ing fronts on three sides upon three
streets. Opposite and around are bust
ness buildings; not a tree or shrub-not a
vacant foot Of ground is connected with
its use. 1t has not even the comforts or
privacy of the State Penitentiary, in
which criminals are inclosed for punish
ment: 1t is not suitable building for a
deliberative body, because surrounded on
three sides by streets paved with granite;
l
noise from the carriages which confuses
all discussion.
The building was intended for hotel,
and was, perhaps, better adapted for such
a purpose than any other in the city. 1t
failed in this capacity, and was purchased
and rented for its present purposes The
deeds as quoted in the journals of last year
will show that the price OF which this
very property has been purchased was
scarcely half the price fixed by the House
bill. 1t may be said that the purchasers
expended money in preparing the building
for public purposes. Then it is worth in
market that much less, as the government
is the only purchaser who could utilize
the building without further and ex-
pensive alterations. There would be no
more propriety in taking the expenditures
of the present owners into the estimate of
price than to claim indemnity for the
splendid frescoes of the rotunda, or for
other outlay for past purposes. The
worth of this property, should the State
become the purchaser, would be one
dollar more than any sound and bona fide |
competitor in the purchase would be will
ing to bind himself to pay. Should the
State incumber itself with such immuta-
BILE property at the absurd price fixed in
the bill, any future Legislature, by re-
moving the seat of government, would
throw the building on the hands of the
State. Then possibly the State might sell
it to outside spectators to get rid of it. or
possibly give it to some charitable or other
public association for private salaries.
But we take this House bill as the text
for serious admonition to the members
who may have voted for it. This whole
subject of State House location in New
Orleans has been surrounded by suspi-
cions to which we do not now consider it
necessary to advert further. The finances
of the State are in crippled condition.
The Governor and Legislature are pledged
to economy. There are, it may be sup :
posed, at least two buildings which the
State may rent or lease for temporary
purposes, leaving the final location TO
better ability and more complete repre-
sentation of the people and property of
the State than can be affirmed of the :,
present legislative quorum. In this Leg
stature the city of New Orleans refuses
N no raprocantod Of oil
The extraordinary proposal to purchase
permanent property, at an exorbitant
price, naturally raises suspicious that the
obby is again at work. 1t may be :
Democratic brokers or part owners who
'end this bill into the House If so, it :.
would be, as in other times, that these ;:
Democratic partisans bring on the engage
nent and then retire between the protect :
ng files of their party, leaving the Re- 9
publican majority responsible for what
hey might have prevented. Those par
isans who would thus be really RESPONSE
lie escape with their share of the plumber .
While the innocent members of the Re-
publican party bear the whole odium of b
be transaction.
We remind the Republican Legislature, =,
re call the attention of the Central Re- :,
ublican Committee, to the peculiar i'm r
ortance of guarding against any imputa- .
ion of corrupt legislation. There is not /,
ne Democrat in the Legislature. The l.
xecutve, the appellate judiciary, are
republican. Whatever of good may he =,
one is credit to the Republican party. =,
very measure of error or intentional l.
'rong will be blazoned all over the nation e
S the proof that the Republicans of Lou =,
lana, entrusted with the exclusive con- =;
'ol of every department of government, r.
re incompetent and corrupt. Hereto +
IRE, when charged with the Legislative b,
buses Of the past, it has been proved Q,
om the record that Democratic men, n,
ers participated. 1t has been shown GO
lat all the great monopolies of q
lie levees, the canal, the butchers
eat, have been and are controlled by a q,
administration. For the acts =,
this session no plea of equal culpabil- II
v can be filed against the Democracy. r.
he glory of good or the shame of evil in
gislation must rest upon the Republican b,
tate government alone. We have now Ia
! opportunity of honor or weight of al
defensible obloquy before us. Can any L
epublican hesitate which to choose?