New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-04-28
Discomfort AMONG THE GERMANS

vigilance committee here.
Discomfort AMONG THE GERMANS.
A communication from German con
veys the not unexpected information thai
the Democrats of this city have not full
filled oil the magnanimous promises which
were made to the voters of that nation.
atty before the election in 1874. He
fnds by comparison that in the matter Of
the reduction Of taxes and licenses, the
city Democratic administration has not
kept pace with the Republican State ad-
ministration, while in the promises of
situations in the various degrees of public
employment at the City Hall, from a first
class clerkship down to street cleaner,
the German element has been as good as
overlooked. The object of the writer is
to urge his fellow countrymen to enter q
formal default against the Democracy and
give the Republicans fair trial.
We regard his first point we'll taken and
entitled to weight. The Republicans
have certainly made great progress in the
very difficult work of cutting down pub
lie expenditures and reducing the taxes.
The State debt has been brought down to
81. 900, 900 and the rate Of taxation lin.
tied to fourteen and one half mills as the
maximum. In the meantime the city debt
has been increased from year to year,
while an effort has been made to reduce
taxation, but in such an informal manner
as to suggest some fears of legal penalties
yet to come.
The system of demanding licenses for
general business occupations and callings
is bad one in any community. Doubt
less it is proper to require license in
certain cases, such as the pursuit of q
semi-immoral occupation, or at least one
which produces no value in the communi-
ty in which it is established, such as SELL
ing liquor by the dram, keeping place of |
amusement, billiard room, bowling alley, |
soda shop, cigar and tobacco shop, and the !
like. To impose license on honest labor
is as wrong as it is to sell out the wharves,
Waterworks and other franchises
Of the people, and let the profits 90 to
But we do not so much much sympa-
hize with the countrymen of our CORES
'ondent in their disappointment because
hey were not employed in public service
len should be taught to look for some
hing higher than public employment,
where the only recommendation is that
ne service is easy and the position gives
be occupant more or less ephemeral au-
hority over the public and sub-officials.
Joys in this country should be reared to
aoughts OF independence in business so
If as it is possible for one man to be in
ependent OF his fellow integers in COM
lunity. Let our German friend teach
is countrymen that the place of honor is
private station, and insist upon those
e votes for redeeming their promises
practice economy. No city ad- .
Illustration can at the same time re- Z
ace the public expenses and give 7
nployment to all who vote the I
lccessful ticket. Let the first suffice.
e should remember that for every man I
lied to public employment there is one
IS competitor in other business, and that
e truly wise man seeks that which is
e more permanent and respectable. If
tiers have no higher motive for voting
+ candidate than the hope of an easy, r
rhaps lucrative temporary situation in
e city administration, be mistakes the
he principle Of suffrage, and descends
barter for his vote. The result of such
bargain is to shackle the officer and
'ploye alike. For there are few, if any,
10 lay down public employment as we'll
ed tor general business as when they
gin it. The habit of mental discipline
gone, the manual dexterity impaired, s.
1 it frequently happens that bad habits
contracted which render a man .un-
ed for the delicate and responsible du-
OF every day life. Idle habits once -
med can scarcely ever be shaken off =
hout an Intervening period of privation
ounting to downright suffering.
We hope, then, to see our German and -
other political friends exact promises
retrenchment and economy, and insist
N strict compliance, but leave the
stion of public employment out of the | u.
sideration for vote It is delusion '"
q snare to suppose that everybody can An
" prize in political lottery, how
successful the party may be. and
70 who follow merely for tho 1oaves n
fishes generally have little care for -"
more important objects Of political
paign. 4