New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-03-16
ABsooSDrHe DRrAUIrEIs.

The Sunday papers overAowed Wit
s sensations. and the cry Of the newsbir
was loud and joyous. "Ten thousan
!. dollars made away with" "Deialcatiol
in a cotton house, ''Still another defal
. cationr' "A twelve thousand dollar de
a fcitr' These defaults, garnished on Mon
day with two suicides, two ''negroes Of
the warpath," two more ''negroes in
death struggle" highway robbery AM
a dispute about some diamonds, afford
1 specimen of the manner in which tn
criminal offenses of New Orleans are 'na
, tionalized" for the inevitable nickel
We defend New Orleans abroad agains
the nikellites. The circulation of tn
REPUBLICAN in other communities enable.
it to diffuse more just representations O
our social condition. We assure the dis
tant public that New Orleans is by nc
means so bad as some of its journals in
their famine of nickels would pretend.
In population Of more than 200, OOO
there must be percentage Of criminals.
This normal relation between numbers
and crime il enhanced here by the mi
grafton of vicious people, who have
learned their infamous trade elsewhere.
Boston might at any time be made just as
notorious by placarding a few cases Of
actual crime as the staple pursuit and
production of that city. as is done here.
We must. however, concede that three
confidential clerks published in one day,
as absconding defaulters is an excessive
proportion Of crime against property for
any city. One of the defaulters had been
operating in ''bonds" with his employers
money; another had COINED several Of
our aristocratic clubs" and "was well
acquainted with some Of the leading fam
ilies," the third is supposed to have
lost the amount purloined at play"
As each of these defaulters seem 10 have
been for several years in the confidence of
employers, as each seems to have been
very gay in his associations. and to have
rushed to the Stock Exchange or the gam
ing table to support such associations. we
may add these to several other offenses by
the same GLASS and of the same character to
make them the ground of some comment.
We assume rectitude of intentions for
these young men when they first entered
upon this career Of wrong. Their prin-
ciples could not of course have been very
stern or they would never have resorted to
crime to cover immortality. Society |
has, however. its responsibilities to
answer. Ours has been too much
a place Of pleasure, show town. Public
spectacles and private recreations divert
the minds of the people from the first
duty of life. labor. and the second, to pro-
vide for the household. Clerks and other
employees are thus tempted into pleasures
and expenditures incompatible with their
rate of compensation and the uncertain
tenure Of their employment. In other
cities employers are extremely strict in
observing the habits Of an employe. and if
\ young man having no other means than
. salary of $3.50 month is living at an
expense of $500. he is either robb,pg his
employer or some one else. This no pru-
lent or just employer will submit to or
,onnive at. We feel due degree Of eau
ion in referring to the practice of organ
zing young men as political soldiers,
'ince this may be done by one party as
veil as another 1t is wrong in all par
les. But when the leisure hours which |
'oung men should devote to rational re-
'reation or instructive study is passed in
he drill room or the club; when the salary,
lot very large. perhaps, must contribute
o the expenses of association, can it be
expected that young men will improve
much in intelligence, economy or self
lenial? Il
1t is from these combined causes that
ur young men are exposed to tempta-
ions and acquire habits which, under the
ressure Of circumstances, lead to such
ffenses as those which the police gazettes
lsewhere. and the sensation journals here,
hronicle with such thoughtless exulta-
on. IL
The city of New Orleans has declined in
er commerce. The revenues of the mer- !.
hants do not suffice to subsist the popu-
Ition. Hundreds are out of work and
in want. 1t would seem duty
Or all to unite in conference as
, the best means of counteracting
MS decline. There are at this time :
lany positive acts needed, such as the !,
obstruction of railroads and opening !;
lore foreign commerce, but until such
leasures shall operate, there is something
hich might be done without outside aid :,
r distant contribution. 1t is the incul- !,
atom of economy, sobriety and improved =
Intelligence. Such example and advice :,
wen to our young men would tend to !.
revent such defalcations as these upon :.
hlch We comment. 1t would satisfy
ndlord and tenant employer and en-
oye, that 10 eternal carnival and
turnaia IS proper basis of pros :,
,rity. In industry, economy, mo-
lily and intelligence alone are
be found the elements of permanent o
'osperity. We have then to condemn D
Q criminals who have ruined themselves VI
ID left SO many bleeding hearts and is
,mbled faces. but we bid society to look u