St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1879-02-08
Where All the Money Goes.
" I'll fares the land, to heightened woes a prey,
Where bonds accumulate, and men decay
Byron.
CANTO VIII.
MORAL.

MORAL.
On reviewing the financial troubles
that have afflicted the State of Louisiana
and the city of New Orleans, for the
last fifteen years, it is impossible to
overlook the gross neglect of many of
our leading men, in connection with
their public duties.
In most civilized countries, where the
people set up any pretentions to liberty,
intelligence and education, this class is
looked up to as leaders of society, in
the march Of civilization and progress.
In the city of New Orleans, too many
energies towards saving themselves,
regardless of the fate of those classes
who had not the money, the brains, or
the organization to save themselves. In
fact, these men have, in many instances,
eudeavored to save themselves at the
EXPENSE of all the other classes Of socie-
ty, by buying and receiving fraudulent
" issued state and city bonds, knowing
them to be fraudulently issued and in
doing so, they have placed themselves
in no better condition than the junk
shOD man who buys stolen property,
knowing it to be stolen.
In financial circles, the fraudulent
bond business is considered an eminent
success, giraffe success, over the in
dustrial and landed interests of the
State in other circles, it is looked upon
as an unmitisated fraud. a gigantic
steal, of the highest altitude, covered
up by the very thinnest forms of law,
| which ought to have been contested by
orr weak officials, Of the reformed Dem
| Ocrat persuasion.
Notwithstanding all this, we have
thousands of good citizens in our midst,
| who sit down on their hind legs, in a
| where all the money goes and then
talk about their superior education, their
superior intelligence, their superior ca
pacity to govern themselves, and take
care of themselves and their families
| Oh, my, did You ever?
Our smart business men have over
done the thing, in this fraudulent bond
business, and are about to he brought
on the stool OF repentance. It is prcsum-
| able that they are satisfied now that
they have made a mistake ; and it may
not be too late for them to make such
amends as may be in their power, by
releasing their grasp on the Threats OF
the people, before they get grasped by
the threats themselves.
These men have education intelligence
and means to do good, in developing
the political, religious, moral, and ma,
teral interests of the state. Suppose
they should use some Of the powers
they have for the benefit of the state
would they not get more benefit in the
end than they are likely to get by the
selfish conduct they have INDUCED in
by selling their Dirt bright and Their
neighbours birthright for mess Of pot
tage9 They must see the ruin and de,
graduation that has been brought on the
state by the villainous political and
financial system which has governed it
and which will involve most of these
smart business men who have made
themselves parties to this system.
1t is not too late for some of our leadin&
men to make a new departure, and Sc
up for public spirited men. The ex
ample set by leading men of other States
could be taken for models. There il
no State in the Union, or IN tEe world
that presents more inviting field thar
the State Of Louisiana and the port O
New Orleans, for public spirited men
If, however, some of our oldest anC
best " citizens should still persist in de
voting their Whole lives and energies tt
the sole business of shaving their neigh
bors' notes, and take no more stock il
the public welfare than a hog takes in {
clean shirt, your committee would res
pectfuliy feeommepd fiat the necessar.
measures he taken TO lay these men OF
the shelf, in order to make room fo
other men who would be more inclined
to develop the commercial, landed ant
ind ustrial interests of the State, in &C
cordance With the usages and custom!
Of leading men in other statGs.
! Earnestly hoping and looking for The
early l9wn Of a better day on our poo
piuhdeFed state, your Commute will
every pray, in the Rords Of the immor
tai Webster:
d" May the PROUD bird, the eagle, soar over TN
main,
And the poor sick pelican arise up again.
Carthage must not fall, nor surrende,
to carpet-bag thieves, or to their assigns
I the innocente at home.
| &sisned2, ?. GREEN.
d. H. CASE.
Committee