The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-03-01
STILL A CHANCE FOR GOOD WORKS

oIlLL A CHANUh tOk GUUD WOhkS
During the remaining two days of the ses
sion Of the General Assembly much may BE-
done in the way CT retrepchment and reform.
If the members of the House who are in q
party majority and the members of the Senate
VINO form majority Of the opposition join
their efforts, considerable number Of bills
in their calender may be acted on. A very
large part of what the people desire to be
done is Of ron partisan character and would
in its effects have no perceptble bearing what
eyer on the positions and relative strength OF
parties. The people expect something from
this General Assembly. The agents of the
people in the House Of representatives. are
locked to by the public for something that
will tighten the load of taxes by diminishing
exorbitant fees and cutting down extravagant
salaries.
Something ought to be done to take away
from the assessors and gatherers of taxes the
emoluments which make them at once inde-
pendent, rich and odious Some general
scale Of reduction in the salaries of all pub
lie officials ought to be effected. Sundry
rights of local government ought to be re.
stored to the city of New Orleans. Her
police should no longer be q menace to the
peace and good order of the city, no longer a
standing army Of usurpation or body guard
Ct the leagued oppressors who reign over us.
Our city ought again, as in better times, to
have the control of the public schools, which
taxes on deprecated and unremunerative
realty and personally now support. There
are, in word, about twenty important meas
ures, in no sense partisan in character, inten-
ton Or effect, which could be acted upon by
the Ssnate in few hours, and which would
not have the slightest eff ct in giving or
retaining party preponderance. Taey would
merely unload from the backs of the people
the burdens which are breaking them.
So far as We can observe the session has
been politically as nearly drawn battle be-
tween the political parties of the State as we
could imagine. The Executive and Senate
are no less Radical now than when the session
begun. The forces of the Democratic Con-
servatives, on the other hand, are as unan-
imous and as thoroughly organized as they
were on tie frat Monday in December. Sixty
or twice sixty more days of the General As
sembly would have all these matters precisely
as they are now. There is 10 use in spending
more time in record making, for records are
already made by both parties, which nothing
can expunge. Why, then, should not these
things be dismissed to give place to something
more Important?
Assume that committee of the House
specially raised should this day, at an early
hour, select from the bills of the House now
before the Senate eight or ten, or twelve of
the most important non-partisan bills which
the house has passed and sent to that body;
and assume thas like committee of the Sem
ate, raised to revise the Senate calendar,
should select twelve bills before the Senate
most importont in their bearings, whether
bills originating in the House OF in the Sem
ate, with the will and purpose to &C. upon
hem without delay and without other con-
,ideration than the best effect they might pro-
luce upon New Orleans and the State. By
his concurrence of serious purposes much of
he important work thus far hanging fire in
he Senate might be finished, to the pro-
ound satisfaction of the people.
We submit that enough has been done for
party and politics, and that now something |
ought to be done for the people, considered
n their status Of persons DESTROYS Of such
'eforms as will carry promise of comfort to
heir homes. The public are weary with po-
itical teachers, whether Of partisan action or
lon-action. Old and young, Of all castles,
conditions and opinions, want
omething done for the people Of the much
hat has been done for parties.