The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-10-17
THE MONEY POWER AND BUMMERIsM

presents very extraordinary spectacle, we
are on the eve Of O very important electaoh
After struggle OF nearly twenty years the
National Democratic party Is about to secure
full control Of both houses OF Congress. Alter
eipbt wears Of absolute carpet-bag rule and
two wears of embarrassed Democratic admin
stration. we have an opportunity Of electing
a legislature in full accord with the State
administration, and which will complete the
reforms we SO much need. Indeed, If ever
there was @ time that called upon us for no
vulgar conception of things and for exertions
In no vulgar spirit, 1t Is the critical time that
Providence has now appointed for this people.
Recalling the sufferings we have endured
and the robberies and humiliations to which
we have been subjected, a rational and dsin-
terested man would expect us, In this crisis,
to be united and harmonious in a COM
mon effort to put forward our ablest and
truest men for public place. Is such the
case? A Democratic convention Is now in
session in this city for the purpose Of nomi
mating candidates for city and parish offices
and for the Legislature. Are the councils of
that convention controlled by men who have
any aims or purposes above the level Of theSr
own personal aspirations and hopes? Is itthn
object Of the convention to promote I,emo-
cratic principles Democratic harmG,,, ond
Democratic success? or is the and and
aim Of its being to hoist the Eonnhors If
q combination of oi1ice-seekem into yucro-
tive posltions2 Can any mag ohtain =, pomi-
nation for the Legislature 1simnlv and solely
because he measures X to The .retrersonian
standard standard OF honestly capabiIity and sound
l'einool"oy VI ~ any henchman Of the
'o'io'l'''rAon' " o' the Lottery Company, or
Vi "i'y 81 ula, ~ 'lngs, be defeated on the ad
z TACT that he Is neither Democrat, an
o'hAgsst Or capable man?
+ We do not hold that every man who is not
q merchant, a capitalists, alawyer or q schol-
ar, Is unfit to be o member OF @ convention or
to fill our places Of honor, profit and trust
Edmund Burke, one Of the greatest of the
British statesmen, once said: MY observa-
ton has furnished me with nothing that is to
be found in any habits OF life Or education
which tends wholly to disgualify men for the
functions of government, but that by which
the power Of exercising those functions is
very frequently obtained / mean o spirit
and habit of low cabal and intrigue, which
have never, in one instance, seen united with
a capacity for sound and manlypolicy."
No t1uer words were ever spoken. The
qualifications for public place are integrity
and capacity, and these are found quite as
often amongst working men as amongst bust
ness and professional men; and in well bal
anced and truly representative conventions,
| legislatures and administrations the repre-
fiol, +I,1r rI,r hc
| heard.
| It is not the working men whose presence
In our councils we fear; it is not the man who
earns the bread he cats by his toil-hardened
| hands that we shrink from. These are the
most watchful guardians Of civil liberty and
the most reliable supporters of our free insti-
buttons. Neither Is it the honest merchant,
or the capitalist or the professional man. who
Is the enemy OF the State. All these are nee
essary to the prosperity of the country; all
arc necessary to the existence of q prosperous
community and o well organized society.
The public danger is in the moneyed power
on the ono hand and bummertsm on the other
Lord Chatham well described "that blood
sucker. that muck known as the mon
eyed interest. which calls itself the friend O.
government, and that pretends to serve this OF
that administration "Under this descrip
tion," said he, II include the whole race of job
bers, contractors and remitters,' But, con
tinued the noble Lord, II hope that nothing
that have said will be understood to extend tt
the honest and industrious tradesman, Wht
holds the middle rank, and has given repeated
proofs that he prefers law and liberty to gold
Much less would | be thought to reflect upo1
the fair merchant, whose liberal commerce il
the prime source of national wealth.
For many years the moneyed power, whicl
Lord Chatham. with all other great statesmen
has reprobated and despised, has domi
mated the country at large and this city ant
State. It has ruled city councils, Stat
legislatures and administrations, and Con
gress itself; it has dictated the policy 0
presidents, and organized besides an innu
merabe band OF corporations and mOnopO
lies, and a gigantic and over-shadowing ma
tional banking monopoly, more powerful thai
the governmental banking monopoly unde
which our trade and Industries are PROSTATE
and by which the whole current of our poll
tics Is rapidly being corrupted and poisoned
This Is more dangerous enemy OF our in
situations and interests even than bum
merism. We look, therefore, with appre
henson upon any movement which has an
semblance of moneyed combination to con
, troll the city or State government. The hon
est and conscientious capitalists and mel
, chants who combine against bummerisn
, when they have been successful, will 500
find that they have given over the munic
pality to the hands of men able, poWerfr
. and wealthy enough to organize a ring whic
= cannot be broken, and which will unit
} in its support every corporation and monopc
, " in the city. The credit of the city may, il
deed, be upheld for time; but neither til
| police nor the school teachers will be bette
:, paid than heretofore; the sanitary conditio
e of the city will not be improved, nor OF
= burthens Of taxation removed. The city wi
y grow lank and lean; commerce will rot all
G industry will languish, while the corporation
It and monopolies will grow fat and insolen
- This has always been, and always will b
F. the tendency of political movement in tt