The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-02-07
WHAT HAS THE LEGISLATURES DONE
FOR THE PEgPLEY

UDaG biiiS W0ulu De no evil, DuU, On Une coll
trary, a positive gain to the community. as
the evils. OF partisanship are obvious But
this opinion arises from eonfounding the uses
Of party with it's abuses.
PARTIES are cO-existent with constitutional
and Representative government They are the
means by which the discordant elements OF
the body polite are united and directed to one
common end-the promotion Of the material
welfare Of the people, to which all partisan
ship should be subordinate.
Of the disruption of Tie Democratic party, as
1T contains within itself all the elements by
which our political and financial regeneration
can be accomplished. Let it's disintegration
take place. and years will pass before its
chaotic debris can be consolidated SO as to
accomplish anything to promote the welfare
OF this people.
The rad1calsm backed by the whole power
and patronage OF the United States govern
ment could not extinguish nor weaken that
great party, On the contrary, every effort OF
most unscrupulous and unprincpled men, had
no other effect than to strengthen and REIN
vigorate 1t. But what neither internal enc
mics nor extraneous force could effect is
being. rapidly done by itself. or by it's self
present Legislature.
Were [ TO say that the public are disap-
pointed In the present Legislature, the ex-
preston would be far short Of the truth; they
are ulSgu5p9u Will IuueElUR upon LneiT
duties pledged to undo the evil acts Of their
predecessors. they have not only done nothing
to that end, but have given no Indication OF 8.
disposition to do SO. We have for years truth
fully proclaimed to the world that our State
has been suffering under unparalleled oppres-
sions. For nearly q decade we have been
cursed with unprineipled executives, a corrupt
Judiciary and Legislatures whose sole pur-
pose has been spo1iation We have truthfully
pointed out that excessive taxation. has
sapped the vitals OF our prosperity by its di-
rect exaCtions and by its indirect influence
in repelling and expelling capital, by
which our reproductive Industries have been
destroyed. All these enormities we have
howled in the ears of the world until the pub
lilo sentiment and moral feelings Of the eoun-
political regeneration followed But what has
our Legislature done to demonstrate the sin
certify OF our cotnplaints2 Absolutely moth
ing-or, rather, less than nothing, as nearly
every bill brought in will result In an increase
OF expenditure, which can only be met by
crease Of debt which involves prospective
increase OF the annual public exaetions. The
actions of these men give the lie to our COM
plants and disgrace US in the eyes OF the
world.
Year after year we inscribed upon our party
banners and declared in cur party platforms
That the public expenditures were excessive
taxation in consequence and through corrup-
tion. was SO enormous as to exceed the net
revenue OF property that the greater part Of
as such rejected, salaries reduced and the
reign of economy which leads to prosperity
would be inaugurated under Democratic
auspices,
direction Of relieving the public burden? A
bill was introduced some few days since fn the
Legislature to increase the pay OF the city
police, without reason as without necessity;
this involves all increase OF the public burden,
and as there is no broad, comprehensive
statesmanship in the Assembly that can re.
fuse special favor for the public good, it will
probably pass either as asked for, or some
medium figure may be selected as a compro-
mise, perhaps all that was expected. That we
are poor, impoverished people, who should
adapt our means to our ends, has never en-
tered into the heads OF these Solons, who
seemingly think the public purse is insxhaust-
ble and that our prosperity will be in the
ratio Of our expenditure.
Then comes u scheme for establishing an
immigration bureau to increase the popula-
ton; foolishly overlooking the patent fact
that increase of population is not blessing
per sc, but is made blessing or O curse by
circumstances. If population is needed, it will
spontaneously it is not needed There are
elementary axioms which [ am almost
ashamed to repeat, but they are seemingly
known by everybody but members OF the
Legislature. governm entail measure having
an increase of population for its object is
will always do infinitely more harm than
good, and is, in short, a positive evil. That
profound thinker and clear reasoner, Herbert
Spencer, says with self-evdent truth, "That
should not be filled at all" In short it is q
public want, not public need.
1t Is not population we require; it's increase
at present would be @ curse; but capital to set
productive industry Ia motion. By capital is
meant that part Of the public wealth devoted
may have an abundance Of it locked up in de-
positories, but we want security which will
make 1t profitable to employ capital. With q
tax Of nearly per cent, no capital will be in
vested here, as it is about the normal increase
Of the public wealth; reduce taxes and popu-
lation will come just as 1t is required. Unless
this is done no bureaus OF immigration will
achieve their purpose; and thank God they
cannot, as it would merely increase our bur-
dens by entailing on us the expense OF sup
porting the unemployed poor.
It was truth notoriously public and indis-
putable that taxes under Radical rule were
enormously excessive, for a time nominally
upward OF per cent more than any property
can pay permanently on its true value-but
really this tax was rendered still more ex-
cessive by an enormous assessment. The
Democratic party, or its chosen leaders and
managers, urgently counseled the non-pay-
ment OF these taxes, partly because they were
excessive, illegal and unjust, but principally
as a matter Of policy to weaken the enemy,
who must inevitably fall il the means thus at
tempted to be extorted from the people were
withheld.
The consequence has been that, between the
original excessive confiscating. tax and nefa-
rfous penalties the property Of great num-
Der Of our best citizens has nominally re-
verted to the State. Our truly excellent At
torney General, with comprehensive states
manship, has recommended to the Legisla-
tare seEne measures OF relief to these citizens
but there Is no movement, or any Indication
of movement IN IN that direction, and 1t Is
Legislature, If there will be any.
We have q good deal Of clamor in the Legis-
lature about increasing the public revenue for
the better support of the government. In
crease of public revenue means increase OF
taxation; and government means the pub
lie officials--the tax-eonsumers In contradis-
tincion to the tax roducers. The formen nbeing
with self-suflcient arrogance called govern
ment, have all the sympathy OF the Legisia-
ture, who seemingly forget that they were
elected to promote the interests OF the people
NJ