The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-06-11

full sanitary regulations" These objects ex-
haust the functions Of government, and what
ever It may do beyond this, by any sort OF
protective legislation, Is likely TO become a
hurtful Interference with the one supreme
law that regulates GIL prosperity and success
full enterprise; the law, which ID as universal
and absolute in such matters as is the law Of
gravitation In physics, of demand and supply.
1t Is noticeable fact that ali the advances
OIL modern legislation have been effected
merely by the destruction Of bad laws and
not by the enactment Of new ones. The
mission Of reform under the new administra-
tion 10 essentially to destroy, to correct evils
that have been legslated into existence, and
to re-enact as little as possible. In this 1t is
the duty Of the people to sustain II by learn
ing to be self-roliant In ill mattersi OF enter
prise, and thus encourage the economical use
Of money and power on the part OF the gov
eminent.
The present condition of the State finances,
and the universal demand Of the people for
| retrenchment, are sufficient reasons for the
policy we have indicated on the part OF the
State, and are alone enough to obviate re-
petition Of the old arguments OF political
economists against the delusive and seductive
principle of protective legislation, o system
which, by the creation of monopolies, destroys
the healthful stimulus of competition, and
substitutes in its place the rnhealthful one OF
large and assured profits, resulting at last In
the destruction Of the very industry or enter
prise It would foster. Certainly the evils OF
this system are abundantly illustrated, and
In
by the experience Of the past ton years OF
Radical misrllc. There was scarcely public
need that was not greedily seized hold OF and
made the subject Of special legislation in the
interests Of particular individuals and cor
porations.
There was not an enterprise undertaken,
from the building of q railroad to the clean
ing OF water-closet, that did not ask gov
eminent aid and protection. The result has
been. as it always will be, where
government assumes espionage over eve
ry industry and triiling affair, universal cor
ruption and bankruptcy
One OF the very worst results of this sys-
TEN OF protection, or plunder--for it Is moth
ing else-is its bad and enervating influence
on the public spirit Of the people. They are
GAo'n"hy uNtuDtohlCu Wy ~ w l0ASl Aui 80
and expensive improvements and enterprises
to the State, ny matters beyond the accom-
plishment Of private or cooperative effort;
the spirit Of commercial venture Ia paralyzed
by the diversion Of Its legitimate rewards to
venal legislation and public parasites. and,
In the end, the results are at once the corrup-
ton of government and the Generalization
Of the people.
In the new order OF things which the po-
htical deliverance of the people has inau-
gurated, we must cut loose from these hurt
full precedents by cultivating large and au
daeious public spirit that will believe all
things possible to be attained by sagacity
and energy. We must learn to refer nothing
TO government, but to permit the untram
meled operation of the great law of produce
and consumption to develop its own results.
We are aware that this spirit must be culti-
waited, and that the Generalization that has
been established under the circumstances we
have noted, must be gradually eradicated.
Indeed, we are disposed to believe that
the normal operation Of these laws
Of political economy will not be recovered
until the whole system Of our fundamental
law Is remodecd by a constitutional conven-
ton, which shall incorporate In the constitu-
ton special provision fixing the positive
limits of all such legislation.
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