The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-01-27
THE PREMIUM BOND LAW AND CITY
AND PARISH INDEBTEDNESS.

Editor Demooat-I have read with much
pleasure the two articles of Member OF the
General Assembly" published in your columns
Raf q because there Is
written which tends to convince the independ-
ent mind that Member. is really in earnest
into. or that he has sustained the propriety of
the passage of the premium bond law, but sim
ply because we feel somewhat wickedly
amused sometimes to see to what straits of YER
to evade the performance of a disagreeable duty
or to bolster up bad cause,
There are a few things which Member ca n
not help knowing, viz
l. That the original consolidated bond law Ia
| one of the most carefully prepared statutes
O. That the law was framed with the double
object Of protecting both the bondhoder ard
B. That the law has been most outrageously
| violated. and by both Radicals and Democrats
when in office.
l. That the great mass of the so-caled city
been put upon the people in violation OF law
but that there has been no Quid pro quo.
8. That those who have purchased the bonds
did 1t with their eyes and ears wide open to the
suffering of the taxpayers and their clamors
| against the wrong.
6. That the grievous wrong of investing In
those bonds was aggravated by the faet that the
buyers OF the spurious paper knew that their
fellow citizens lthe taxpayers) were helpless
infamy and specially to PREJUDICE.
7. That as long as the blood of the taxpayers
bonds the holders drew it. and that thew ' onIy
relaxed their hold when they found that they
were killing the goose that laid the golden egg,
and that the dawn OF civil liberty threatened to
break once more.
8. That the premium bond law was not really
sought by The taxpayers. but by the bondhold.
with fifty cents on the dollar for their claims 1t
was very easy to get together and make the city
a present of half they held.
sought to be passed in order to put one more
stumbling block in the way of the taxpayers to
the courts when honest ones should be estab-
lished by the people.
10. That the said premium bond law never did
formally and regularly pass even the infamous
Legislature which gave 1t birth, but that 1t was
'rallroaded through in tho most abominable
Ii. That the City Council have not even obeyed
the mandates of this their pet law. for it re-
funded whereas the Council has funded indis
criminately and has even set itself above courts
of competent jurisdiction. and has funded
large amounts judicially pronounced stricken
with nulty." And this great wrong they have
done in open defiance of law and of public
opinion.
clause which should bring shame to the cheeks
of all who originated it or who voted for it as
legislators. as well as arouse the indignation of
all who love liberty and justice. viz: the clause
which constitutes a committee of control and
makes them self-pe,petuating body for dJty
years. 49,
49, That the law degrades the people Of the
city and State, in that it makes Q statute OF the
great State o. Louisiana owe its existence to
the pep 81 hose e Gy aa anu
H. That the law is infamous and double
disgrace 10 the city and State. in that It attempA
an outrageous mandate to foist and fix upon
the people millions that we do not owe. For
years we have been crying out against the in
digretion of every honest man was expressed
over Kellogg's infamous State funding law, and
now we bear the brand In our foreheads of
having sought at the hands of his Legislators.
city funding law more infamous, If possible. in
And now let us ask "A Member of the Gener-
this whole business-down to what is vuIgarly
called hard pam, want to believe that he
really represents the people but ny belief gi
and city debts. These have. been. piled up
Ss 1 them and durng se reign e Of ped pped 81
not tt think they rightly owe the great mass
of this debt and they are unwilling to have
' mot o RropsLI et Mem Member or bill the
Legislature forcing the whole of this debt before
the courts mot before Legislative committees
or commissioner by preference for judicial de-
termination. If our Supreme, Court decides
that we owe it all, or any portion. l have no
@ to MaT the He 5%s
troduce a bill ordering the courts to examine
into and determine the ,constitutionallty Of the
premium bond law. More: this great city OF
New Orleans Is the creature of the State. I'm
der its charter 1t has certain functions and GER
tain duties to perform. certain laws to obey.
Let Member" offer q bill ordering the most
searching investigation into the. doings
and shortcomings of those placed at the head
of the city. Let him offer a bill that will posi-
lively insure the prompt payment of all en-
ployes of the city. instead of their being the vic.
tins of collusion between office holders and
brokers las has been the case in the history OF
New Orleans) or of gross official negligence.
Let it be the boast of our city in the future that
the poor men and women who work for small
monthly wages-the teacher who educates our
children and the policeman who guards our
persons and property-get their pay with at
least the same regularity that the holder OF a
worthless or a tainted bond gets his principal.
interest and prize from gambling wheel that
diseraces the hall in which it turns.
Will any of these things be done? mol mol
no, Athousand times mol Why? Because the
real shirt of Reform died on the threshold of
our legislative halls. and only its ghost sta. ks
coldly about and makes meager capital for
Legislators who do not represent wronged
an outraged, an impoverished and patient peo-
A Member of the General Assembly may
write a thousand ingenious and tortuous arti-
cles in defense of the premium bond law. but
they will never add Leaf of laurel to his young
brow He must fight the battle OF the people;
then he will represent them. BRUTUS.