The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1878-06-29
Our New Orleans Letters.
Number Six,
Which Treats Of City Affairs.
New ORLEANS, June % 1879.

Which Treats of City Affairs.
New ORLEANS, June %, 1879.
EDITOR OF INDICATOR:
Having shown the utter failure of the
State administration to rise to anything
like the height of the iiuSt expectations
Of the people in the way of reform and,
worse, having revealed the woefnt lack
of political sagacity which has eharac-
terizr,l this administration from IT. ad-
vent to the present moment, l turn to
he consideration of another admins
trative body, within; and under the con-
troll of the State, which is consdcred OF
secondary Importance, and yet, which
Yields an influence that is inevitably
felt to the remOtest corners Of the State.
mean the administration of the city OF
New Orleans.
have often wondered at the utter in
difference with which country members
of our legislatures regard the conduct of
our city affairs; when, if they wonld
take the trouble to inform: themselves
and to think somewhat over matters.
they are bound to see that the proper
management of great city like this, Is
sine qua non to the State in which 1t is
located If legislators vii look at it
from broad standpoint, they cannot
help seeing, that to have this city We'll
policed, its finances honestly conducted,
and its people lightly bnrdened with
taxation, is more important to any parish
in the State than any local concern ct
the parish itself: Every parish is, strict
ly speaking, an agricultural community.
and from this treat city each derives, di-
rectly or indirectly, all financial facili-
ties it enjoys. Just as money is high or
low in the great commercial centre, so
the planter pays ont part or all OF his
crop for what he wants. If the city is
We'll conducted and attractive to capital
if those who pursue business in tho city
are permitted to accumulate capital ill.,
stead of paying all their hard earnings
into the insa table nav of the tax gath
erer, then the country borrower will in
! evitably feel the advantage. So, also, if
the city is decently managed in a po-
litical point Of view, the country can't
help profiting thereby; but if she is
turned over to the hands of the profili-
gate and INSCRIPTIONS, The whole State
suffers
And yet, you will find country mem
bers assembling here annually, absorbed
in fh- effort. to have Alligator bayou
cleaned ont, Paris Incorporated, or Stump
Bridge bullt, while some grand scheme
for robbery of the Treasury, or taxation
! Of the people of the city is being enacted
under their noses, and even receiving
their votes, without their knowing it.
was :oScioiy struck by an illustra-
ton of this thing two or three years ago.
One of the most important, and at the
same time rascally, financial bills-for
the so-called benefit of this city-was
before the legislature, and absolutely
passed while the people were remonstra-
ting against it. l was afterwards talk
ing with member from Red River, and.
while explaining the iniquity of the bill,
expressed my wonder that a man like
him should not have been found in ac-
tive opposition. He acknowledged the
truth Of all | said about the bill and ex-
pressed his deep regret that it should
have passed. "But'-said I-"wEy was
yonr voice not heard in opposition ~
'Welr- said he-"I must be candid and
tell you the truth, was engaged in my
own parish business: thought your
city members wonld attend to that mat
ter-would look after the interests of
your city peeple-and l should not be
surprised if ! voted yes, without know
ing just what bill it was that was going
through. .:"rhen"-said I-"you ac-
knowledge that you are not really leg
islator for Louisiana, but for --4- par
ish." He acknowledged the corn..'
Is this picture overdrawn9 Nota bit
of it. And l undertake to say right here
that there is not one single member from
the. country who, on a candid self ex
animation, will not plead guilty to the
general charge | have brought
Legislation, as between city and conn
try, is conducted by the active members
on the "you. grease-me-and-Ill- grease
you" principle, while the two great num-
Der of inactivcs are used as voters with
out their knowing it. s~,t. ,:"o
Will this thing never stop! Will not
the country rise to the point Of reforma-
ton and send active, thinking, honest
men, down here to legislate for the whole
State ,,'' ''' ~
Perhaps, you may say-"But why does
not the city send q proper delegation to
the legislature, and avoid the inaugura.
ton Of the wrong yOn, complain of I" j
reply, that in . great cosmopolitan place
like this, it il next to impossible to avoid
getting into the Legislative Halls, some
of the tools of the various, existing rings,
and it is into the hands Of these that
the country members fall. II requires
effort, study, "a. discern the evil hidden
in bills which are captivating on the
outside, and members will not exert
themselves They prefer t. swop their
vote for one that will 60 for cleaning out
Alligator Bayou I9do not charge cor
rnptiOp on members from the country,
tut inaoldnce, indifference, too great in
terest III their own local sbills, 4 nd OBJ
livio6sness Of duty to- the whole State,
which 70 paranlpant. 1859: <'s u 19tt~,t
Surely, It is aSinattea. Of great moment
to all the people of the State, whether
New orleans il lightly or heavily taxed
| whether the so.called debt that is impos-
| ed on her is legitimate or illegitiMate,
whether the city legally owes five mil