The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-29
HISTORY OF LOUISIANA.

sion of the Times is to convince the peo-
pie that the present public officials In
Louisiana and the Democratic admins
trations elsewhere in the South are no
better than their Radical predecessors.
It has been pursuing this ignoble policy
for months with great pertinacity, and
il does not hesitate in furtherance of it to
indulge in the most reckless statements.
1t attempted to win popularity on this
line by attacking the Governor at a
most critical period, for making certain
unpopular appointments. The clamor
of applause, however, which greeted its
iu-timed diatribe died away in q few
hours and general disgust at it's
course was expressed SO soon as the
motive of the attack was understood.
Some local troubles recently occurred
in several Mississippi counties, pro-
voked by the depredations of negro
thieves. The Mississippi authorities
were fully capable of restoring order
an enforcing the laws but the indig-
nant Times raised howl which re-
minded us Of the palmy days of bloody
shirt organs, and now we find that
paper represented throughout the North
as an extreme Democratic paper-God
save the MARYLAND quoted as authority
for the charge that the Mississippi
Democrats are whipping and otherwise
maltreating the negroes.
More recently. without making due
inquiry; without any adequate informa-
ton on the subject; upon the widest
conjecture indeed, the Times charged
substantially, that the State Board OF
Education, and especially the Superin-
tendent of Public Education, had been
guilty of a corrupt job in the selection
of class books for the public schools.
The DEMOCRAT refuted every charge the
Times made we related the exact facts,
and finally SO effectually cornered the
Times, 30 plainly fixed the brand of
reckless malice. or interested prevari-
cation upon it, that it fed the field. 1t
did not come out and frankly admit
that 1t had done the board and
Mr.. Lusher grave wrong, as it
seems to us 1t should have done when
all its defamatory allegations and in
situations were exposed. Oh, No!
It simply retired from the controversy
without a word of apology or line
to correct the erroneous impression 1t
had created. Nevertheless, had the
Times remained silent, we should not
have attacked 1t again; we desired not
to do so. But 1t could not, it seems, do
so wise thing, and after waiting day
or two, Thursday afternoon, Ii renewed
the assault upon Mr.. Lusher and the
board In series Of statements more de-
famatory, reckless and untrue than
those it first made. Its grievance this
time is, that the School Board adopted
for the use OF the schools Dimitry's
History and Geography Of Louisiana be-
fore its publication. In this connection
it mentions the fact that the author Of
this book is relative Of the Superin-
tendent Of Education and an employee
in his office. The intimation, then. Is
made that the adoption Of Dimitry's
history was a job, the cost Of which the
poor children Of the State ere to pay.
How false and malicious these charges
are was shown by the interview between
a reporter Of this paper and the Super
intendent Of Public Education, printed
in the DEMOCRAT yesterday morning.
The plain truth is, that there is no pub
lished history and geograp by Of Lou
isiana adapted for schools in existence.
The work of Mr.. Dimitry was thor
ough examined by the board in manu-
script, found to be book of unusually
high merit, and entirely adapted for
school purposes, and it was adopted by
the board after finding that it could be
printed and furnished to the students at
a very low price. The author of the
book. the son Of our venerable and ven-
Grated fellows citizen, Alexander Dimi-
try, whose vast and varied erudition is
the pride Of our State. is gentleman of
fine scholarship and an elegant and
forcible writer. For our part, we have
no doubt that the book possesses the
merit the members of the board ascribe
to it, though we shall impartially criti-
else it when it lies before us.
Whether or not the history and geo.
graphy of Louisiana should form part of
the education of our children is differ
emit question and one about which there
may be difference Of opinion. We GER
tainly think it should. and we heartily
indorse the action of the board in
making it part OF the curriculum Of the
schools. In almost every other State
the children in the public schools
are instructed In the history and
geography Ct the commonwealth.