The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1871-10-07
Organizing Victory in Louisiana.

The jackson Standard gives
forth q very decided warning to
the Democratic State Central
to the effect that that
organ of the. party must show
more activity, obtain greater con-
fidence, or resign. eff they do
not" says our contemporary, ''the
party will crumble to pieces
around them.'
The Standard suggests, as the
most effectual plan to prevent
the disaster indicated, the assem-
bling Of a general State Conven-
ton in November, in place of a
general meeting of the Commit
tee. If this plan is pursued, the
STANDARD believes that harmony
will be preserved, victory will he
organized, and the State re-
deemed.
We are prepared to join the
people in any movement which
promises good grounds for be-
1ieving the result anticipated as
above, by our contemporary, will
thereby be achieved. If ever
there was a State, or people,
needing reform in public affairs,
Louisiana and the people of
Louisiana may claim that dis
tinction in the degree of pre-
eminence. They are in the power
and at the mercy of the most
reckless, most impecunious league
of plunderers ever organized in
a civilized country. In estima-
ting the mischief they have done
volumes might he published; it
is only by attempting to discov-
er the atomic amount of pub
lie good they have done, that we
can, in a space of time admissi-
BILE in ordinary discussion or de-
date, arrive at a conception of
their corrupt and dishonest adj
ministration of the States affairs.
The reader himself may easily
supply this information, and,
without showing favoritism, sum
it all up in three minutes ref1ec-
ton.
But the different plans now
urged to accomplish the States
redemption, have a common OBJ
stacle in the apathy and indiffer-
ence of the people. The constant
sneers of would-be leaders and
shallow thinkers at the man who
takes an interest in politics and
by attending to his political edu-
cation becomes in popular phrase
ga politician, have operated dis
astrously upon the duties and
best features of American citizen
ship. So far has this snecring
process gone, that unrefectingp eo-
pie have withdrawn themselves
even in bodies from participant
ing in political affairs, and sell
dom think of a subject which,
whether they will it or no, exer-I
cises a large influence upon their
social and material prosperity
and vigor. The time seems to
have come when to mention poll
tics, is to shock the nerves of a
host of people, who, notwith-
standing their sensitiveness, owe
nearly all their present political
ill fortune to this very unsound
view of the citizens duty to the
State. The great stumbling block
in the way of redemption, is this
studied disregard of public du-
ties aud public responsibilities,
aud to remove it is. the first task
of the press and of our political
leaders.
We believe it can easily he de-
monstrated to the satisfaction of
any rejecting mind, that nearly
all the want of prosperity in the
various monied and agricultural
enterprises of our State, is due
alone to the mal-administratio
of our local governments, State
and parochial, and that the "hard
times" money pressure and bust
ness failures of which the coun-
try has seen and heard SO much,