The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-27
Nww oRLEANs, DECEMBER II, isl
THE STATE AND THE PRESS.

Our country contemporaries are indignant
at the unjust treatment they have received at
the hands OF the late Legislature Thatbod
ignoring the demand which went up from
every quarer OF the State for q Constitu-
tional Convention, devised and passed null
ttude OF ill-digested amendments to the
constitution, and then appropriated the In
significant sum of five thousand dollars TO
pay forty-nine newspapers TO print and bring
them before the people. At tho low rate
allowed by the law to the papers for printing
public advertisements it would require nearly
seventeen thousand dollars to compensate
these Journals. Hence there Is, as our Clinton
contemporary shows, deficit between the
appropriation and the compensation legally
and Justly due the country papers Of nearly
twelve thousand dollars.
The gross injustice OF this must be evident
to every right thinking citizen OF Louisiana.
In no State In the Union are there such null
ttude OF useless officials, and In no State OF
the Union are all officials both the useless
and the necessary, SO extrayagantly paid.
Yet when the Legislature came TO deal with
tbe press and the officials, IL refused to call a
cut dow the salaries OF the others. and then
devoted all its energies and abilities 70 elab-
Grating O system under which the most work
could be squeezed out Of the press for the
least amount OF money
The country Democratic papers, through
years OF Radical rule, when ell the measures
OF the government were against them-de-
aligned IN fact, to destroy them-stood by the
state and the Democratic party unfaltering-
iy. Politician after politician fell away, and
I'm the greed OF office went over to the enemy.
or. In fear OF the dominant party, kept his
mouth shut. But the press OF the State kept
ap the war until the fight was won.
These papers have deserved well Of tho
people Of Louisiana; but the chief efforts at
retrenchment by the late Legislature were
directed to the curtailment OF the price OF even
such printing as the State had no interest in.
This matter OF the advertisement OF the
amendments La but q sample OF the rigid
economy Of the Legislature In dealing with
the press.
The adoption Of the amendments In face OF
the violent opposition OF the people was q
grave and questionable act in itself. The only
justification it could have had would have
been conscientious and liberal measures to
bring the amendments fully before the peo-
ME. 40 that they could be discussed and un-
derstood. But no such measures were taken.
The press was expected to do the work with
out compensation, as it had fought the battle
of the State without compensation while q
horde of politicians, who are now on the
front bowling for fat offices or occupying
them. were straddling the fence to see on
which side the metaphorical cat was going to
jump.
The DEMOCRAT has itself been made a
victim Of this policy 1t has refused to puff
public officials or aspirants for office, while 1t
has fought inside OF Its party for reform.
Hence it has incurred the hostility OF many Of
the would-be leaders Of the Democracy. We
carried the State printing when the success Of
our government was in great doubt, and then
settled with the State in deprecated warrants,
at our own suggestion, on the basis OF the re-
form printing bill, which we first suggested,
and alone, OF all the city papers, advocated.
Yet the Printing Board, at It's late session,
usurping arbitrary judicial functions, estab-
Iished rulings under which the contract was
TO be given out for 1879 which at once reflected
upon the DEMOCRAT, reduced the printing to
literally nothing, and so embarrassed and
confused the contract that it Is impossible Tor
the State Printer, except under Judgment OF
= court TO proceed with the work necessary to
the public interest.
Our country contemporaries may rest as
sured that organs Of the people are not what
noliticians want With few exceptions
every aspirant for official honors. and every
Official believes that only those papers are
worthy of Democratic support which are
ready to blow his horn and advance his in
terest. 1t is we'll that the press Of this State
should understand this fact. Let it look to the
people for support. If the press be true to
the people, il it supports only measures In the
public interest, it will soon require no aid
from politicians, whose master it will be-
come. The wrong done our contemporaries
In this matter of the publication OF the
amendments should be repaired, however
The incoming Legislature should make an
appropriation to pay them for the services
ahsy have honestly done the State. The
country papers have just claim against the
State for $4,000, and they must receive it.
If the State is poor let constitutional con-
yention cut off 200 or 800 useless officials,
reduce the salaries of the others in accord
sssse with the salaries paid in other and
richer States, and then Louisiana will be able
TO pay the just debts she owes those who
nave served her and who have trusted in her
TaitE
1t Is now stated that Conkling Is not Tor
Grant. or course not. He is for COnkling.