The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-04-23
myrnIng Star and Catholic Messenger
SHT 0TETA Ss. SUN Gay, APRIL - ls1s.
Editor Morning Star;


ia an occasion for every one to give his opinions
in regard to any and all measures affecting the
rresent and future prosperity of New Orleans
hitch NAV appear to him frem the standpoint
ofbis own interests to challenge investigation
like most old residents of this city, he has
fonnd his small estate, upon which be had
looLaa forward with confidence to subsist de.
Gently in his declining years, now upon him
"orowing small by degrees and beautifully
less" and without any very encouraging pros.
pect of change for the better at very early
day.
He has studiously read the many theories,
suggestions, reasons and dogmatisms which
the poverty of the inhabitants, ironically called
property owners, has ELECTED in the press has
reflected over the distress ascribed to misrule,
carpet-bag extravaganza, and Radical pro.
figsoy so called pondered over the panaceas
for all public and private misfortunes gratuit-
ously presented for acceptancy by Democratic
nostrum- mougers yet obtuse he must confess
himself; for after all this extraordinary teach
ing, he finds himself no a reasonable
solution of the problem of pauperzation than
ever.
He sought comfort and solace in the imm . Gu
late embrace of property Owners Union :"
was there enraptured by the oratory of Ciceros
from the Bog of Allen, mystifed by the incom-
prehensible logic of Caledonian Know Nothings,
and enlightened by appeals for " siller " by the
patriotic chiefs of the association, wbc remem-
bered the wisdom and duty of sending round
the hat
Notwithstanding, however, every disposition
to become learned and wise in regard to the
hard and undeniable facts, that property i'm
proved and unimproved, was continually tend
ing downward; that every description of bust
ness was daily becoming less and less remunera-
tive; that the wages of clerks, of artisans, of
draymen, of longshoremen, and laborers of
every shade of honest toilers would, when OBJ.
tainable, hardly keep soul and body together
that scarcely any joint stock company could
get its shares to par, certainly no bank, except
1t was under ring-master's manipulation, or
make fair dividend; that more than one |
street railroad was nearly in on the thresh- |
mold of bankruptcy, and dependency hung
ike funeral pail over our city; notwithstand- |
ing all these sad and undeniable facts W hich |
none gainsay, he could get no one 80 wise as
TO give reason fit to convince, or a probable
cogent cause for total ruin that seems so near
and inevitable.
The readiest, the easiest, and, indeed, the
most general excuse for the deplorable position
OF this place was the state of it's politics;
and glaringly and unquestionably insu efficient,
as every sensible person knows this to be, it,
only as being the nearest at hand, probably
seemed to be all-suficient.
He willingly admits that the system of mis-.
rule existing in city and State has aggravated
the public distress, but it is not the sole cause
of it by any means on the contrary, is very
Tar from being chargeable with it, for although
millions of bonds were fraudulently, venally
and profigately issued we all know the very
Radicals who did this were also those who had p
IN equal amount of indebted ne 50 repudiated by
,he State.
He says the authors of the original dishonest
proceedings were those who obtained the popu-
ar assent to the subseque population but
le ought to add that they took care not to limit
he reputation to the dishonest ssu es but to
Use their funding process for the recognition of
many OF the more infamous ones while seal
ng" the honest Indebtedness to make the
theirs salable. ,
Bat the issue of fraudulent bonds, and the
equalization of legitimate ones, does not really q
ouch the question every citizen of New Orleans h
t this time is deeply interested in having h
answered. r
1t is-the universal distress being admitted,
no the rulnous shrinkage of every description
values being ndeniable-what is it possible II
90 TO retrieve the trade we are admitted to "
ave Iost' and to conciliate millions of valuable
ommefce naturally tributary here, but which,
y our supineness, is now transported to other o
nd alien and unnatural martsf e.
The Chamber of Commerce as a potent means
the accomplishment of this end, indicated as Il
ne OF the most needful and urgent measures. d
he construction of a railroad to connect this T.
ity by rail- and river with the northern DOR
ions of our own State and the eastern section II
# Texas.
Already three lines of road were running D
rom this city, or contiguous to it, to make
with the region mentioned; and tho
ommittee nominated by the Chamber of Com
lerce which speedily merged itself into p
oard of direction, at once appreciated the
eeds OF the situation, and instead of provoking
ostilities that might be Injurious to the great II