The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-01-11
1.-THE yExED QUESTION:

@ epsgg se ss G 's he fi.f s scfe sa 9Asg not e 70
I0y{Qh1kJ OF society is pledged The claim OF
III prior IN time, paramount in title and
$tujyeine III equity. y."-Edmund Burke, and adopt
ed by the New Orleans DEMOCRAT, January 9,
Editor Denocfat- Unfortunately for the well
. fare of the people OF this country, 1t fs excep
| tfonal to find newspaper hatw publish both
keides of an important public question. and to
md one that will permit an attempt at contro-
verting Its own opinions Is almost phenomenal.
/ Up to this moment the New Orleans DEMOCRAT
stands alone In respect to these points. and
TRUST we may never see the day when the utility
your most valuable w ne be dIsss9yea I
In this spirit, and avowiDg my sole aim to be
the promotion of the public veal. beg to offer
ect OF the city debt but distinct criticism of your
views editorially announced In your issue OF
January .. inst.
tion Of L., and the one headed The Consoii-
dated Bonds" "sarcasticaly." nor was ! in
when said the Ia ter was not signed by
thems elves. They. simply treat of compro-
mise as between the bondholders, and not q
|single name of any ind Is attached to either
|Rs they stand in int.
THAT the communications emanated from
men of Responsibility and intelligence l do not
q have no right to blame you for publishing
hese papers. nor am ! disposed to do So. On
be contrary. ! am pleased that Il has been e,
Ysettlgnfent of the bond question and gives the
taxpayers a chance to be heard. AS to the mat
ter Of the author OF one OF the fti arlicles being
dollars" that signifies nothing with me. Aman
may be all Of that and ct last be primarily inter-
ested in having every d liar of the twenty four
millions OF so-calltd deb paid in full, or to the
fullest extent possible. Such cases come before
the eyes of men at every turn. and they will con-
But what IS It to me. or to this people, that
o conrsptor pays taxssf surely r. it
q IN who nav r.
Is he to be deemed an, more considerate oil the
real economy of the city authorities. On the
0ontrary, show me he man or woman who pays
$40 or ESQ on the humble house he or she pos
sesses, and I'll show you a person who works
for a living and feels the burden of taxation
and has no access to the short ways of finances
nnd high pecuniary prosperity. Show me the
man who pays $4,000, and I'll show you him
who in all human probability has long ago en-
b Yf1lIed with s. ocks and bonds.
But DO otthus eharacterize your contribu;
tors. You have advanced the fifty thousand
dollar argument. and | only refer to it as one
that will not bear too heavy weight,
You say your opinions on the matter of the
city debt have been so clearly expressed tha'
they cannot be misunderstood. but that you
have not expressed them aggressiyey:" be-
cause the interests involv, are SO vast: because
they SO. ramify society, and involve so many
points, IL not OF law. at least Of equity, that we
have felt the question very difficult and unsafe
one to discuss with temper"
accord you all honesty OF purpose all sin
cerity; Dutyour premises are untenable "a the
organ and mouthpiece Of reform. Your paper
was born In and because of a saturnalia Of pro
higacy and oppression uu pafalltled in this land
Its first number was issued und.r the fianntins
shfbboleth of dggresSion: the devil was burning
Us and we turned around aud fought him with
nre. When the DEMOCRAT appeared in the po
litical field there was pall upon this people
that was terrible to contemplate We were or
the verge OF a great political campaign with not
enc public journal in the English language in
New Orleans squarely with the people as against
political tyranny and material oppression
All we're blowing hot and cold all were for
and against US. all were under the influence oI
the money power. all were the friends of 'euui-
ty,p all were the foes If law. The scattered
Democratic presses of the interior of the State
were true as steel but they looked in vain to the
capital for O leader. The DEMOCRAT q, pearpd
flying the banner of aggression: it drove the
hitherto mongrel ptess into the traces, and vic,
tory followed You have no history. sir but
that OF aggression. You will not make any
other There is right and there is wrong. The
DEMOCRAT was born for the right. 1t dies in ali
that is useful when it is silent over wrong.
Bnt let US turn to what conceive to be- mos
grievous, a most perbicious doctrine now pro
mulgated by you. You say:
I'VE believe that many of the bonds repre-
senting the so-called debt OF this city are rotfer
with fraud but there is not a bond outstanding
against this city but which. in our opinion, will
0nally. II carried there, be determined in tn,
Federal courts against the city. This rooted
conviction that the taxpayers have no right
that 2 Federal court will recognize as against
bondhoider, has very greatly tempered our op
position to the present financial scheme OF th