The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-09-12
WHAT WILL THRLEGISLATURE
DO ABOUT IT9

1t is commonly stated that when
New Orleans was perfectly clean foul
infections and epidemics were un.
known. Vicksburg stsnk in all its
lanes and alleys, and repositories of
filth in the rear of one of its hotels,
not very long ago, were simply fearful.
For forty years Memphis has been dig
ging holes, in which foul excretions
and all manner of filth, even as in Aus
tin, is stored away for the special use
of the demons of cholera and Yellew
Jack. Intelligent people and taxpay-
ers of Mississippi river cities have seen
aud known all this for fifteen years.
They knew this end was coming-that
this final ruin was inevitable. Then,
we are gravely asked, why have they
not provided against this fatal result2
Until within the past two years
Memphis has been ruled by mayors and
boards of aldermen who represented
taxpayers in nothing. For fifteen
years, and almost ever since a stupid
legislature reformed" the charter and
made municipal suffrage universal"
the place has been scourged and raw
aged by incompetency and knavery.
Therefore sewers were never con-
structed. Taxpayers were unwilling
that this task should be made a viii
lainous job, as was the paving of
streets, and death, as we have seen,
was preferred to robbery. We have
often heard taxpayers in Austin
declare that they would gladly
pay for perfect system of
sewage if the execution of con
tracts and expenditure of money were
made by those who furnished this
money. Two years ago, by means of
Taxpayers association" which
went into market overt and bought
votes, an honest and able mayor of
Memphis was chosen; but revolution
and reform came too late. The city's
debt was already greater in amount
than one.fourth of the whole wealth
of the place. Its liabilities are mil
lion dollars greater than those of the
State of Texas. Its constabulary force,
before each election, was often in
creased, and consisted of $50 or more
stalwart, bloody-nosed reprobates.
This assured the reelection of the in
cumbent. In truth the present pitiable,
bankrupte1, diseased and impure con-
dition of the once prosperous city is
due to foully impure ballot boxes,
which make one class of people pay
aud another expend the wealth Of
corporations. The same facts pertain
to the government and fiIthiness and
desolation of New Orleans, VicksburG
aud Grenada. Infamous, depraved
polluted suffrage, crowning lgnoranc'
and knavery with Office, has wrough
all this desolation and death. 81
thoroughly comprehended are thes
ruinous vices of municipal govern
ments, shaped by universal suffrage
that halt the towns of Texas, if ther
be no reform wrought by the next Leg
islature, will follow in the footsteps o
Memphis, and, surrendering charters
suffer powers they confer to laps
into the county's hands. II tn
money-consuming government of Aus
, tin may not be controlled by tn
! money-paying people of Austin, Aus
, tin must cease to exist. Taxpayer
here, as in Memphis, still have powe
enough to defeat expenditures pro
posed to be made through the officif
: Intervention of those who pay no taxes
In view Of terrible woes that hav
!, befallen mob governed towns and cite
in the lowlahds of the Mississippi, al
most as foul and filthy as the corruE
/. ballot boxes that shape their destiniei
2 it is supposed, though tlmid politician
) and demagogues of the press are silen
0 that legislative reform, beginning wit
: that of the balIot-box, will be speedil
a achieved.
4 TIE task to be accomplished mu
be begun in the Legislature. System
'' of perfect sewage demand the expena
ture of vast sums of money. What
ever the cost it must be paid. BU
taxpayers propose to expend the none
of taxpayers and not turn 1t over
political tramps, adventurers and viii
ky guzzlers whom the unsoaped rabb
of towns delights to honor. 1t is hart
ly to be supposed, when the world col
r fesses that filth is indispensable to th
Il plaques existence, that the world wi
9. continue to pay tribute to misfortuI
e created by filth. This yellow destroy
:, of our race has cost the North not on
4. countless thousands expended in chal
p ty, but tradesmen ruined by quara
!. tines and by the plague cost Easter
e creditors vast sums. When these CO
tributors to yellow fever funds al
these Eastern merchants see that q
DESTROYER follows lines of filth tall Il
germs of disease, as in Memphis, b
come so thicA and strong that tn
are forced far out into the neighbo
ing country, even 20 Holly SprinI
: and Brownsyille--When the genero
> people see that the calamity is the pr
duct of uncleanness they will sa
ssYou can and henceforth must So
| yourselves. Build sewers ct any COS
= Drain your fat river towns. Destr'
those iesid vaults and composts,
thousand fold more dangerous Sou
than North, and yet not tolerated il
Northern city, We need not, wi
the lessons before Us, recur in futu
years for aid to the charitable 81
generous. They say they must 81
always If Southern towns and cities
not cleansed. and it follows that heavi
taxation must be imposed and greai
sums OF money must be expended, A