The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-11-23
CHANGES OF HEART,

| The Times and Picay,n,e are quite excited
over the public printing. The contract is &c
| be renewed next Monday, and both those
sheets are fearful that the Printing Board will
neglect to protect tho public interest in the
matter. Economy" "the public Interest,"
were the war whoops Of these two able and con-
scientious sheets yesterday morning. We are
| glad to note this change Of heart on the part
| of the Times. We remember that last Febrli-
| airy that paper sent In bill for public adver-
| Using for something over 5000, while for
the same printing tho DEMOCRAT presented Il
bill for 5000. or course there would be no
danger Of the Times gouging the State IL 1t
got its fins into the printing There
are some other little transactions Of the pro-
prietors of that journal in the line of economy
in public affairs that may in the future make
interesting subjects OF discussion.
The Picdyune has also experienced a change
of heart. Yesterday morning 1t contained On
article on economy In public printing, which
denounced in just and vigorous language the
manner in which the people Of this State were
swindled in the matter of the public printing
under the Radical regime through the Repnb-
iicnn. All that the Picay,tne said in relation
to that matter we heartily indorse; it is all
true and 1t was well said. But why did the
Eicayut,e wait until the Radical party was de-
feated, disorganized and dispersed, until the
power Of Warmoth was broken, until Kellogg
was literally fugitive and the Republican
was dead and nearly forgotten, to exhibit its
heroic devotion to the public interest?
When the Radical party and the Repob
lican were robbing the people not only in the
State printing, but In hundred other trans
actions, the New Orleans Picdyune never dared
utter such denunciations of them as were
printed in its columns yesterday morning.
Nay, it was then an extremely conservative
newspaper; it never employed the vulgar Ian
guage of Indignation; il it roared at all, it
roared like sucking dove. Under it's very
nose the carnival Of crime, the saturnalia Of
robbery went on without meeting with more
than mild and gentle protest from
the now incensed and irrepressible Pic
Nay, more-and now mark us-during
the very period which the Picay,u,e de-
nounces now 50 Justify, that paper enjoyed
the confidence, favor and support of W. 2.
Kellogg. We hare the documents IN or pos
session TO prove our ntegotion. In the thick of
tno HRnJ, WHen every honest man anu journal
in the State was literally in arms against Kel-
logg and his robber usurpation. the Picay,tne
had no hard words for the public enemy.
Democracy in its eyes was then little better
than Republicanism all its teachings and
utterances tended to disintegrato the only
party in the State which held ground against
the despoilers.
The fight for honest government was won
without the Picay'Nne. Fortunately for
Louisiana there were journals within her
borders which had some other object in view
than the conc liation of parties in power
and other politics than greed of gain.
But we have no objection to the late
Wanting and the untimely heroics of our
contemporary. 1t is no business of ours
that its fancy Is to be in at the tail end Of
row; it has not proved itself half as good
soldier as Falstaff, and it has his Illus
trious example to keep it in countenance.
Neither do we care much that it desires to be
first at the feast But when it attempts to
assail us over the shoulders of the Printing
Board, or the Printing Board over our shout
ders, we feel that it is our duty to show the
public what rattling old fraud and blath-
erskite it is.