The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-08-11
EVILS AND REMEDIES.


svils OF the State. After careful pc
rusal Of the article we And the Bulletin
on the material issue very nearly In
line with the expressed views Of the
DEMOCRAT. The difference between tis
seem to be rather IA to means than as
to ends and really not so much as to
means az to the misconception Of the
DEMOCRATS expressed views on some
points. t 3sa ef
The Bulletin says that we attribute
the poverty and distress OF the country
to what we loosely call bad government
aud excessive taxation, but that we do
Haot tell what our IDEAS OF bad govern
ment are. It then comedies the neces
sity Of united aud harmonious party
organization, but says that it desires to
know what that organization proposes
to do when In power. It also. we
are surprised to see, attributes
AZ much. II not more, importance
to the policies and laws they are
TO administer aud may enact, than
to the personnel OF public officials
We say that we notice this latter propo
sition OF our contemporary with sur
prise, because that journal has been one
of the ablest aud most consistent OF
those In this city which have for so
many months insisted that parties were
OF little or no account, and that to tht
personnel Of the candidates alone the
voter should look. This is the true po-
sition Of the average ''independent"
newspaper, and we are,really glad that
the Builetln sees the utter emptiness oi
1t and now stands with the DEMOCRAT
upon the higher ground, that tho laws
aud policies OF States are Of the first Inn
portauce TO the public prosperity. This
is u broad and safe ground, upon which
the Bulletin and the DEMOCRAT can stand
together. .l.0.t
The Bulletin we fear has not read the
DEMOCRAT carefully. 1t Is certainly
mistaken when 1t charges that we have
never explained what we mean by bad
government, and. surely, there Is no
reason why 1t should not clearly com.
prehend what the united and harmo-
NOUS party organization we advocate
proposes to do when in power.
Time and again we have explained
that our idea OF bad government is
fully exemplified in the State govern
ment OF Louisiana-a government which
is administered In the interest OF polit-
ical party and not in that Of the whole
people; which, instead of suppressibg
violence and crime, gives encourage
ment to robbery and murder; In which
the laws are, in some instances, en-
forced with cruel rigor,a and In other cases
shamefully relaxed the officials OF
which. from tho highest to the low
est, are men whose characters are
such that they possess the conti-
dence Of no class Of the people; which
has administered the affairs Of the
State in such fashion that property
has deprecated in value, commerce has
declined and industry has been par
alyzed; that has wrung s14O.000,OOo of
taxes from the people, and created a
burthensome debt, and can produce
nothing to show for 1t but half dug
bitches, railroad bills and public thieves
robed in fine linen, who few years
ago we're perambulating vagabonds.
We think our friends OF the Bulletin
will recognize this as fair picture OF a
bad government and as good likeness
OF the State government which we be-
lieve IL should be the paramount object
of every honest man In Louisiana to
overthrow. (
The platforms OF thu 'united and har-
monious party organic ltion" by which
we stand ought to have given our neigh
Dor pretty clear idea OF what it will do
In the Federal and State administrations
when 1t gets In power. The National
House Of Representatives elected by it..
lighting for months against the Senate
and the President, has saved the people
the handsome sum Of $3s,OO0,000,
besides Exposing the putridity Of the
present administration. This we
think we may all confidently accept as
an earnesssEf what 1t will do when 1t
nas full a;Ntrol OF the Government.
We freely eoncede that the House OF
Representatives of the last Legislature
did not acces|npllsh much. But 1t must
be remembered that the Democratic
members were new men, unskilled and
inexperienced In their business, and
that all the other branches OF the State
Government were In the hands Of the
Radicals. 1t has been pretty clear.
ly indicated what the party will
do, however, when it obtains con.
troll cf the State. It has given
solemn pledges to the country at Baton
Rouge, and those pledges It will keep
It Is pledged to abolish over two thou
sand useless Offices, and to cut down
the exhorbitant fees OF many others; II
is pledged to a generous free schoo
system; to the payment OF the obliga.
tions OF the State, and to policy Of vigol
and economy in the administration o.
public affairs. The only guarantees
the Bulletin can possibly obtain OF iti