The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-05-08
THE PEOPLES STATE GOVERN
MENT.

ment was elected it was on 8 plat.
form of retrenchment and reform,
which tothe best of its ability it has
carried out, Notwithstanding that
many of it's friends have found fault
with it. A moments reflection will
satisfy any reasonable man of the
utter impossibility and impractica-
bility of undoing in so short time
the engenious work of eight years of
in this State, and the
burden of complaint seems not to
have been that it has not done well,
but that it has not done as we'll as
was expected it would do. Any one
who will take the trouble to think
for moment and who will contrast
the present condition of this State as
to honesty, stability and capacity, as
well as desire to enfore the law,
with the condition of affairs at any
time during the eight years of Radi-
cal rule, cannot fail to recognize the
reform in these respects at least, and
if it had accomplished nothing more
than this it would, on these grounds
alone, be entitled to the respect and
confidence of the people. The trou-
BILE is after all imaginary and not
real, and comes from two causes.
The first is that our people had
been for so long ground down to the
dust by Radicalism that they looked
to the Nichols government as a
storm tossed mariner looks to a ha.
ven of rest, and they expected too
much in this first place. And Sec
ondly. like the same mariner who has
reached the port of his hopes, they
have forgotten all about the storms
of The past and grumble because the
reality does not come up to their fe-
verish expectations. Perhaps we
should not be far from wrong if we
were to say that the financial dis
tress which We, in common with all
tie people of the United States are
suffering, has blunted their percep,
tion of the many real changes for the
better which has followed the inaug
uration Of our present State govern.
ment. Whatever may have been the
cause, many wellmeaning people in
this State have been dissatisfied and
have permitted themselves to grum.
BILE at The government, without prob.
ably having any well-deined idea Of
what they expected or in what par.
ticulars the government Of the State
had failed to do its whole duty to
the people. The purpose of this ar
ticle is more to suggest that it is
time these censures and criticisms
should cease and give place to a can
did and fair acknowledgment Of what
has been done than to point out the
details of the reform that has been
effected. Our readers this week will
find thet subject ably and exhaus
lively treated of by Senator Edward
D. White in speech we publish
elsewhere.
We desire to cali attention to tn.
fact that all these cavillings ant
fault findings isjust playing into th'
hands Of our political enemies, an,
to suggest that while the Democrat
ic party is abupdantIy able to de
fend both itself and the government
of it's choice from all attacks of it,
enemies, ii may not he able to fgh
both its friends and it's enemies. /,
the campaign of this year the line
will be closely drawn and there will
he no middle ground for any to stant
upon. Those who are not for Us viii
he against us, and the sooner thi
fact is understood the better it viii
be for all sides. The next Legisla
ture, besides important local duties
will elect United States Senator
and it is of the utmost importance
that we should elect our candidates
The election of State Treasure
and Congressman will be regarded a
test as to whether the State reali,
i =
did 90 for Tilden in 1875 and in ev
cry respect the coming election vii
be an important one. In view o
which it is absolutely necessary tina
we should have harmony in GU
ranks. We hope to hear no NOR
grumbling by our friends and we ar
more than confident Of our ability t.
successfully fight our open enemies
IDEWARE OF COJNTERFEITS-
| ID WE ARE THE ONLY AUTHOR
lied AGENTS FOR THE SINGEI
NEW FAMILY SEWING MACHTNl
| IN THE PARISHES OF RAPIDES
| VERNON and GRANT. FERG USOl
/ g. SCHNACK. MATHEMATICS an