The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-02-21
WHAT OF THE rLEnaEs or REFORM ?
AnBHv1hhH, February II, 1878.

AnBfvtbbB, February IT, 1878
Editor et,eD,oernt- For some tune previous
t. the ,des u November, 1870 the State
Of Louisiane was lilled with u, great
ambulated the State and SHOUTED mud
beloved for reform and rettenchneht4 These
words were THEFT battle-tiy and The key note
that aroused the people The people, lUng
suffering and Impoverished, had determined
at length that governmental extravaganza
anti prufligacy should eeaae: that large sala-
rios. enormously disprppottipnate to the d,l-
ties u the Office, should be retfenrhetl. Then
these pattiutic peranhulat5ts could readily
see not only the need fol. reform, but the
means Of etfeeting IT, All that was TO
II ali Ii q iav Ali Tie astravasanee Of Hatli.
cal rule should be at once aDnlbilated. Eco
totny should be inaugutatpd. and these
bellowing patriots then assured the publH'
that all that was required to effect 1t wsas tn
vote for them and "preato" all should be
changed How have these promises been
kept The last session Of this Legislature is
waning aud the much desired reform comes
not. The consumlnatlon Of this happy state
Of things appea,s to the espeetant aud strug
Cling taxpayer az remote as 1T did in thnpaln-
leat days OF Radiealism. The same a. mills
lax In just Hs exceedingly required OF him by
the so-palled Democratic tax collector as ever IL
waaby the hated Radical The believing gen
They are the nldest hammered men that eye
did ever rest uppn
They never mention reform in the legsa-
tive halls unless III q whisper. or with a little
bunenmbe. The measures Of relief which they
so clearly saw IN 1876 were Imperative. they
now ane are not needed In 1876 they readily
saw how retrenchnrnt could he efftHted, but
alas now they see It ia impossible. Then
they saw how Legislators per diem could be
cut down from ~ TO ~. but now they discover
hat tFf ~ iltF
guardian angel Of the gates Of Eden. ever
stands with d flaming sword between them
and retrnnchment. Even the poor privilege
Of donating a portion 81 their per diem and
eter, the constitution. Tho constitution
they, haye sworn to support say,s they
d dare not pa take less IS lay e perjury sf to
my soul7 No. though IT were to buy world
& apny da{s rhsIlhottery awinale 81 Is I Just
gentlemen as it ever was under tho reign of
their llnstriuus predecessors. There arc liter
ally hundreds OF reforms that these gentle
mon knewPof In 1876 that they have wholly
the Legislative halls, DO these gentlemen
really think that they have kept their prom.
iseaP Do they for Il moment imagine that
they have fulfilled the REASONABLE corporations
of reasonable menY They know they have
not DO they think tha n, the se esnpa,ra
have made will satisfy the people, IT they
do. they are doomed to fearful disappoint-
mont. The people are In earnest about this
reform business but frar they nre not. The
people "intan business" while these gentle
mon in Office mean fat salaries Tho people
intendJo have reform. not mere ainnldcrum,
and they will have it. II not at the hands of
these agents who betray them, then Mt the
hands Of .othora who will talss tho places Of
these unfaithful servants. . Tho handwriting
is even now to be aeen ons the wall, and the
days of political protligacy nre numbered. 1t
will avail you nothing that you belong to this
party or that; II you have betrayed your
trust. tho high places that now know yo,ewill
know you no more forever II you intend to
relieve the people, you have not u moment to
lose. Beup and doing. for tho night cometh.
The eyes the whole people arc on tlYir law
making servants, and their conduct will not
be forgotten. ABHEvILLE