The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-02-15

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egated to some country village on the plea
that city life was immoral and dangerous, and
exefted bad Influence ON the government
In very sensible article the other day. m,
"Fintitious Capitals the Boston Advertiser
called attention to these changes Of capital,
and noted the fact that most Of The States
had found 1t necessary, for the proper trans
action Of business and for the protection ri
the rights Of the people, to move their capitals
TO their chief cities. There were, however, the
Advertiser noticed, only two real and perfect
capitals In the Unon-Boston and New Or
leans, The latter is teeminently q capital.
In Massachusetts there are half q dozen
cities besides the "Iub:" New Orleans Is the
SOLITARY city Of our State, IL is the centre Of
railroad and river travel in louisiana II eon-
| tains al the capital In the State, 1t pays two
thirds the taxes; 1t transacts almost all the
| business of the State: Ii Is visited each year
by thousands OF persons from all portions OF
the State, and Is consequently able 10 get ab
the public opinion Of all sections Of Louisiana,
1t Is. in fact. the social money, Industrial and
commercial capital of Louisiana, and has
maintained this position since 1873, when Bien-
Vile made II the capital, not Of Louisiana. but
|
The Legislature Is not to be deceived In this
capital matter by any sentimental or deina-
goglcal appeal As for the sentimental appeal
about the old capital 1t is untrue. since. before
the war New Orleans was the capital for as
many years as Baton Rouge. AS for the other
argument used, that removal Of The State
capital TO Baton Rouge will restore our gov
eminent to It's ante4belum standing will re-
duce Its expenses, free 1t from the control Of
rings and give us good government. 1t Is not
only wholly utsustained by single fact, but
Ia thoroughly contradicted by them. A Legis-
lat1re cannot escape rings as a man can
dlanger by. flying into q monastery
where rings Cannot penetrate. Tho monopo-
lies ask rY better field for their work than
some quiet tow1o far from the maddening
crowd" far from the press, the telegraph and
public opinion. Would the simple removal
Of the capital to Baton Rouge protect the
Legislature from these rings and corpora
tons? Would 1t not rather turn 1t over to
their mercy--take away all Its protection?
| Here, in New Orleans, we have In opposi-
ton TO the capitalists. monopoies and corpora
tions. the city press, the public opinion Of
two hundred Thousand people. very few Of
whom are capitalists or ring men. and Il
Thousand conflicting interests Of every kind
With tho capital ut Baton Rouge. che rings
would need only pay the fare Of lobbyists from
tho city. and before the people Of the State
knew anything about 1t. some bill would be
passed, and have become a law, which. In
New Orleans, would have been ut once exposed
and raised UP host Of opponents against It,.
Who In fine would rush from the light to
The darkness III order to evade dangetp .
/ At the proper time we will show how the
great corporations Of the past, the railroads.
ruled The Legislature when the capital was at
Baton Rouge. A delegation was organ
lied to visit the oapitao and urge the
passage Of bill This bill came wholly
unexplained before the Legislature; it
scarcely knew what 1t meant. There
was no opposition, because tho opposing ele-
ments were unaware Of the very existence of
the bill. And 1t was only when 1t was upon
the statute book aud had become n law that
the people of Louisiana could discover the
outrage. Many times olid this occur ut
Baton Rouge the Legislature being often In
nooent OF any wrong. Those older citizens
J who remember tM Legislation Of ante belum
times must refhember how much the people Of
Louisiana suffered by having their capital
out Of the reach Of both the press and public
opinion OF the State.
As to tho question of accessibility which
has been conceded In the other States to be
the main point desired in capital. there is
scarcely need of saying anything. How do
Baton Rouge and New Orleans compare In
this respect? The three railroads of Lo,iisi-
ana centre at New Orleans. A large majority
Of the Legislature have to come here In order
to go to Baton Rouge. Nine-tenths of the
Legislature at lenst are compelled to visit
New Orleans each year on business, just when
the Legislature meets. There is not O State
in the Union. not even excepting tho two
youngest born, the mountain States of Col
orado and Nevada, that ever dreamed of n
capital ,lnconnected with the outside world by
railroads. and with only one uncertain
means of communication with the rest of the
State Is Louisiana TO present the ridiculous
feature of cutting itself off from the rest OF
tho world in order to protect her Legislature
from rings and monopolies?
OF course, no power on earth can convert
any town in Louisiana save New Orleans into
the State capital; the Legislatureecan, IT Ia
true remove the seat OF government to Baton
Rouge, but, as the Bee very clearly shows,
even this 1t can do only to limited extent.
The Board of Liquidation, tho fiscal agency
and a dozen other branches of the government
cannot be carried up the river on steamboat
Half the Legislature would be down here In
vestigatDg the police department, lottery
city affairs, etc. We should virtually have
, two seats of government New Orleans and
: Baton Rouge
There is u sort Of jealousy between the city
and country, but after all 1t Is only jealousy
In politics. not in questions Of state. New
Orleans and the rest Of Louisiana have the
same hopes, the same interests, and certainly
neither section is lacking in patriotism and
: love for Louisiana.
If sentiment, however, is to be appealed to-
: New Orleans can appeal to much dearcr sen,
timents than Baton Rouge-to memories con