New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-31

represented and enjoined by the great
West, and all political theories which
disregard this only republican element of
political power, must consent to accept
such recognition as the population and
wealth Of the republic may accord them.
DUB MECHANICS.
The Democratic politicians have for
some years past impressed upon both
landlord and tenant that the decline of
New Orleans is due entirely to the alleged
misgovernment of the State. The reduc-
ton of our State debt to minimum and
the contraction of the State taxation to
within comparatively limited figure has
had little effect upon the trade of the city.
The debt and taxes of the city government
being under the exclusive control and at
the responsibility Of the Democratic party,
have not, of course, had anything to do
with the common misfortune, nor would
any person be allowed to say with impunity
that nearly double the State debt and rate
Of taxation had anything to do with the
industrial necessities Of our people.
The Democratic explanation that half
the debt and taxation imposed by the
State authorities is the true cause of the
popular embarrassment does not seem to
satisfy the mechanical interest, upon
whose compensated labor depends at last
the growth or decadence Of this city.
They have organized. They organized
last year. They interviewed the Common
Council and asked employment. They
even vent so far as to intimate that they
had been encouraged to expect employ
ment from some Of the administrative de-
ments. There was then strenuous repre-
sentation of the mechanical interests,
which subsequently died away.
That neither the necessities nor the in
telligence of the mechanical interest
have diminished with the revolving sea-
sons was made manifest in the large and
respectable meeting Of Monday night, in
the very positive demand which they
have made upon the administrative au-
thorities for the fulfllment of their ex-
pectations, and in the rebuke which, as
laborious tenants, they have offered to
their rather aristocratic landlords.
These mechanics have lived in other
cities. They have been perfectly familiar
with the causes which build up or bury
the industrial interests. They know that
Baltimore expanded from $4,000 to $50, 900
population by her construction of single
railroad; that st. Louis, Chicago, and
every other city in the Union, have pros
pered according to the distant trade and
productions aided by the construction Of
railroads They therefore demand to
be permitted to vote on the subscription
to the Texas railroad. They remind the
landlords that they may fund their tax
in railroad stock, and they might have
said that the landlord will impose, if he
can, this subscription tax upon the tenant.
We, however, prefer to employ the excel
lent language Of the mechanics them
selves in expressing their grievances and
their rights:
President Grapzin opaned the meeting
with terse ,eech relative to the imp0v-
erished cOndl ION of the workingrnen of our
city, and the rsesing need at this season Of
the year they Uttered for something to do.
He all uded t., the duty of the present city
to give employment on pub
lie works 10 more men than are now en-
gagged, and described the want in hundreds
OF families he,a.
They deprt cate relief committees
That we ioc1 upon the appointment of
any committee for the purpose of collecting
any funds t. be distributed among the |
class as injurious, az it will be the |
production nd promotion OF idleness
among the labn:ing classes.
They ask for an extension of railroad
charters, the reparation of the st. Charles
street shell road, and
Regard the early completion of the New |
D, leans Pacific railway, to connect the city |
with the State Of Texas. of the most vital
Importance to all Of our mechanics and
They indorse the responsibility Of the
Texas Pacific directors; oppose taxation
or extravagant expenditures, but offer |
he solid argument
That real estate, in a strictly commercial |
,ity, can have no value unless there is l
iemand for commercial purposes, nor can |
he owner of owners of dwellings make |
heir property produce a revenue in city |
>ho han /
working man are usable to procure en-
,loyment.
They Indignantly demonstrate against
The Efforts now being made by agents of
Oreign property owners and self-c0nsti-
uted dictatOrs among our own people, who
would gladly ostracise the poor man and
10 small sum as subscription to build
his road, and thereby cause him to continue
n enforced idleness, and his family to re-
main in want and restitution.
These resolutions, transmitted. to the
Mayor and Administrators, will, we should
hink, command respect for the good
,ense and directness of their expression,
IS we'll as for they power which the repre-
ent at the polls.
HE IMPEACHMENT QUESTION OPENED.
The Senate has just decided by vote
f thirty-seven yeas to twenty nine nays
o exercise jurisdiction in the Belknap
case. We are informed that
II the Democrats in the Senate except
Of Connecticut. and Jones,
e Mor;do-vofod for irriadiction. The |