Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1878-03-08

10 say, that on the whole, their work is
crediiable 10 them and will compare ia.
vorably with that Of any similar body
in the country.
The Financial Condition Of she
CISy she Opportunity Of Dem
@gOgues.
Municipal corporations oil over the
country have passed through an era Of
extravaganza and corruption, from
which they have emerged In 9 more or
less damaged condition with but two
meanS Of relief at hand-repudiation,
or compromise. The cities Of the North
and West, whose governments have
been administered by their own CHI.
zenS, have suffered, though not so
greatly, With those Of The South, where
allen and negro rule, rapacity and ig-
norAnce, held g high carnival Of plum
der and spoliation for nearly ten years.
Il 10 natural, therefore, that q feeling
of extreme dissatisfaction should exist,
which, II long continued, must degen-
crate into 8 morbid and blind desire 10
cast of the burdens, which though le-
gally imposed, are known to be as
unjust as they are oppressive. Among
these unfortunate cities, zone has
been more unfortunate than Vicksburg,
and none has been more hopelessly
mired in the Slough Of Despoud."
Memphis has secured q favorable com.
promise; Spring field, Illinois, q city Of
two or three thousands more Of pOpu.
lation than Vicksburg, "took the bull
BY the horns" last year, extinguished
her gaa, discharged her municipal Off
GERS and thus forced her tax pay ers to
solve their difficulties at once; but
with US, the residium of corruption
and txtravag4ncs remains in the shape
Of an enormous debt that shackles
every enterprise and weighs down
every effort Of public and private en-.
ergy.
Il is we'll known, OF course, that the
present city government is not respon-
sible for this state Of Attire, but II is
not so well known that they have
done everything in their power 10
exiricate the city from its difficult
ties. They have cut down expens e
from $4,000 or 100000, which was
tho yearly budget under Radical rule,
to less than $4,000 q year on the cash
basis, which they hope TO reach through
the compromise now pending. But we
hope 10 lay before our readers shortly,
a thorough comparative financial
statement, exhibiting at 4 glance the
operations of the Board of Mayor and
Aldermen that will speak for itself,
aud we shall say no more on that
branch OF the subject al present, 1t Is
to the prevalent spirit Of unquiet and
unrest that we would address ourseli.
The man who believes himself amiCt.
ed with a fatal malady turns for relief,
in unressOning confidence, to every
Quack and nostrum that holds out
1attering promises, aud in a blind
search for health, renders in
durable q deSease whose only reme-
dy was to be found in a
temperate regimen aud an Observance
Of the laws Of nature. The public sem
hment of this community lie in just
such an unhealthy condition. Not one
in ten Of the most intelligent citizens
could give q lucid statement Of our
difficulties or suggest q definite plan Of
relief, and yet we predict, that pending
the city election, there will be no lack
of professional quaCkS 10 parade their
remedies before the public and seek 10
further their personal interests by i'm.
posing on the ignorance of one class Of
voters and the discomfort Of the other,
But it should be remembered, that al,
though the enormous debt undeI
which we are lsboring, was piled up ii
few months, 1t will require years o
wise and persistent effort to pull |
down. The work is not with
in the scope Of one or tw'
Official terms, but iS a task tOl, be &C
complished BY successive administra
lions for more than 3 generation yet Il
come. 1t Is, therefore, senselesS to In
dulge Impotence; 1t is worse thai
senseless to look 10 q change in official
for immediate relief, and It is suicida