New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-08-03
A FALsE...PERHAPs FATAL ECONOMY.

The city administration publishes
statement of its condition, from which
there appears large deficit. The ad-
ministration, in the most patriotic man
ner, has decided to foot this difference,
so they assess upon each department a
quota of the whole, and thus supplying the
deficit of s161,O76 80 out Of their own
pockets and that Of their employees. The
citizens, it is true. may contribute in
fever, dysentery and discomfort the sum
suppressed for removing "the garbage
and keep the draining machines running,
aside from what is absolutely requisite
| for cleaning streets or making repairs"
This sanitary contribution of the peo-
pie, estimated by Administrator Burke
at one hundred and eight thousand dol
lars, is Just two-thirds Of this generous
public gift. Just two-thirds is contributed
| in sick children, doctors bills, loss of
work, ungarnered garbage, and not i'm
possibly in the epidemics which accom-
pany such false economy. We are aware
that the expenditures for these sanitary
purposes would be to certain extent a
campaign fund in the Democratic voters
retained for street work For this we do
not care We prefer the health of the
people and the health reputation Of the
city to any political aid which the city ad-
minstration could derive from lending its
cartmen and shovel brigade to the voters.
We can not accuse the Administrators of
making the scaling Of their own unexpired
salaries as bid for denomination.
We can not suppose they would make
so an unwise contribution to the cam
paign fund. They have received the
city government from the hands Of Dem
ocratic predecessors. They have, in stat
ing the difficulties that beset them, ad-
mitted that they descended upon them by
political inherita nee. That they have eff
fected no remarkable economy is rem
dered probable by their having to discon-
tinue the dirt carts in the last hours of
their term. They seem to throw over
board their personal interests to relieve
the laboring ship and enable her to touch
the port without the loss of everything on
board.
The public, however, holding its nose
from the pungent stencil of accommodating
garbage, will, with that indistinct intona-
ton that marks the bad cold language,
ask: ''Why wasn't this done before
Why not distribute this concentrated
odor throughout your whole term ? Why
condense this insuferable nuisance in one
dose?'
Well may Administrator Burke remon-
strate that 1.-The reduction in the Depart
ment Of Improvements is greater in pro-
portion than in any other department
1t is true he will stand the martyr of
corporate economy The Administration
of Finance may set up placard inscribed
with the sums swested out of the public
creditor by the simple process OF with
holding the interest of the public debt.
The Administrator OF Commerce may tri-
umphantly point to the forfeited contract
Of the wharf lessees or the closed doors Of
the private markets. The assessor to the
reduced value of taxable property bat
upon the Administrator of Improvements
will fall the full weight of popular indig-
nation, because the enforced economy OF
his department, though twice as great as
that of al! others, will have been effected
at the expense of popular comfort and of
popular health. We may imagine the
impotent complaints at the depart
ment. We may fancy the sad mother,
as the garbage pile smokes in front of her
humble dwelling, and her pallid children
wilt and weaken as it grows in height and
ohense. Men may gallop through the
suburbs as they gallop through Vera Cruz
with a camphorated handkerchief to the
nose, and report the offal of dogs swollen
by the corporate sausage, bones which no
ragman having the least regard for his
sanitary safety will dare to gather, and
other offenses which, like those of Clau-
dio, are crank, and smell to Heaven"
When this state Of public disgust shall
have been attained, upon whom must it
fall? Upon the unfortunate author of
this chief economy.
Hasty gatherings at street corners will
denounce Burke. Men of the idle shovel
and dismantled cart will cry: ''Yis, the
durty blaggard, Boorke, it's meself that'll
plump the ticket agin him" While the
as with the nasal cartilage
tightly compressed, they bestow the
last admonition on the departing voter,
will cry: Il don't care what else you do,
but be certain to beat that horrid Burke.
He has killed little Jimmy, and he'll be
the death of the balance of US.
Now we submit such state Of popular |
will do the utmost in
justice to most indefatigable public |
servant whom we will not injure further
by Cur commentator. But Mr.. Burke is |
the martyr. He is the Jonah. He is the |
wave offering for his municipal asso-
GATES. They may claim to be reinstated
Tor the economy Effected at his expense.
He may be a stencil in the nostrils of
every housekeeper and shopkeeper be.
cause Of this economy We sympathize
With the people, with the merchants, with