The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-04-03
A EFT r 0SP &c T.

sent State Government WAS relieved
from it's embarrassing position, and
assured of final and complete success.
1t may not he time lost to take a look
backward of one year. and to con
trast the present condition of Louisi
ana with the situation of affairs at
that time, and as another campaign
is approaching, it may he appropriate
at this time to call attention to the
manner in which the Nichols Gov
eminent has kept some of the pledges
made by and for it. before it became
an accomplished fact. Before the
excitement ofpolitics has heatedp pub
lie sentiment either for or against
plain statement of facts, will perhaps.
have accorded it more attention than
it would have later in the year.
The first and most important ele
ment of reform effected. and the one
so apparent that it must have struck
the most casual observer, is the sub
stitution ofnrofound peace and quiet
throughout the entire State for
condition of lawlessness and iiscor
which had prevailed under the radi-
cal regime The festive six,shooter
and the lively shotgun have taken a
hack seat, and gone "where the wood
hine twineth." Ifno other GOOD than
this had heen done by the govern
ment 10 which we looked so anxious
" for reform, we might have pointed
10 that fact alone as evidence Of a
most substantial reform in a mucl,
needed direction. But is is far
from being all. The Courts have
been re-opened for the administra-
ton of law and justice, and the con-
fidence Of the people in their judiciary
has been restored, and all good peo
pie now look 10 them to settle their
differences, and a resort of force is no
longer thought of, as The only means
of adjusting disputes. The estah.
lishment of peace, and the r; storation
of respect for the law would alone
have been good work for The first year
of our own Government in the State,
but these are but the first steps in
tile march of reform which has been
man. urated by it.
Many bad laws have been repealed
entirely. Obje, tionahle features in
many oil ers have heen eliminated.
Taxation has been reduced and laws
passed which will after this year still
further reduce the rate of taxation.
The harsh and unusual penalties
which worked so much OF hardship
To our people, were at once taken of
aud fair rate of interest put in their
place. The manner If assessment
has been regulated, and the tax payer
made to feel that benign govern
menL only asks from him what is ac-
tually necessary for its support, and
nothing for plumber and the private
gain of fice-holders. The jury sys
TEN has been remodelled, so as to IN
sure just administration of the pro-
cesses of court. The whole conduct
of elections have be' so regulated
as TO purify the ballot and insure a
fair expression of the will of the peo-
pie at the ballot box. Amendments
TO the organic law are Submitted TO
the people, which propose to correct
many abuses he, ond the reach OF the
Legislature and which will still fur
Their relieve the burdens under which
we have labored for so long. Even
this cursory statement does not EN-
brace all that has been done in one
year, and we could at great length
give the details of many other meas
ures of relief and reform, hut these.
are surely enough to satisfy any rea-
sonable man. and to stop growing
because everything has not been done
in so short a time. The world was
not made in day, nor can any gov.
eminent of the people, however v,gi
liant and energetic, correct all the
abuses OF an eight years radical rule
in this State. For what has been
done we are truly thankful, and We
have every confidence in the govern.
ment which has done so much in one
short year.
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ONE Dollar per week will buy Sim
ger New Family Sewing Machine from
Ferguson and Schnack.