The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1879-04-23
THE SOUTHERN sETUATl3N.
The following from the Chicago

ne lOlloWihS from Tie 1nfcaSO
Tribune:
At no time since the war have The pros.
poets of Southern industry been more
gloomy than now, especially in the Mis-
sissirpi valley States. While the North
is rapidly recnpelating from the excuses
Of the war and the depression Of the pan.
ic, with its immense shrinkage of values
some portions Of the South-like Louisi
ana, fer instance-scem to be iii a mort
bund condition. For some years past ii
has been the fashion to charge this stag
nation to the Republican administration
bnt this excuse will hold good no longer.
The Republican administration has had
no control over tlie sHi,th since the cleo
tion of Mr.. Hayes. The Federal troops
hare been withdrawn The people have
boon left free 30 regulate their institu-
tions, and they have regulated; them so
thoroughly by the familiar process OF
balllozing that theaSouth has been made
soiidiy DentoeEiitic. The whites have had
fall sweep, aud the South has gone down
faster than ever -
We will take Louisiana as "A test
of this characteristic argument
F'om 1856 to 1870 the Republicans
had absolute control there. D ring
eleven years the State was ruled by
negroes, carpet baggers and Federal
soldiers the vilest governmental
combination ever forced 4 upon a
people presumed to be free. It's
rule was simply ruin. Industry was
paralyzed, public money wasted,
public credit destroyed; the whole
commercial hand financial structure
completely undermined. Less than
three years lave elapsed since Re-
pubIicanisin, as a dominant power,
perishea III louisiana. TO suppose
that in lessathan three years the
'aamages Indicted lii eleven would be
repaired, indicate ali objectionable
amount of ignorance. The Republi-
can work of destruction was thor
oughly done, and the present genera
lion will hardly see aH9its efectsire.
moved ."Thc whites's-that is the
Democrats -s'have had full sweep
indeed, but thus far they have only
succeeded'in clearing away portion
OF the rubbish left BY their prede-
'cessors. Louisiana, when Demo
Gratis took charge, was literally tram
pied in the imife Of Republican in
competence corruption and raseality
They have lifted her up, but she il
yet scarcely able I'd stand alone
Strength is coming, flbat coming
Slowly, very slowly Restoration
full and entire, is yeti far distant
Nevertheless it is certain, and indi
cations of It's approach can be seel
ION every hand. 9 When we'remembe
that fonr years of civil war 7 wer'
Supplementary yseleyei years of Re
publican peace aad plandes., The won
der is thas'there'is anything in Lon
isiana worth saving ao!die9fISlf' 7
The South, under Democratic, b
"White," government, has not s.gon
down faster than ever."d IT has no
gone down at ak In every singh
Southern State unmistakable signl
of Improvement are visible, ant
these signs areiti4e most inumerou.
in those States which have BEEF
longest Democratic. Virginia, Nortl
Carolina, Georgia and Texas are ii
far better condition than South Car.
DINA, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana
Mississippi and Arkansas. More
over the South, taking everything
into consideration, is'reeoyering from
sahe excuses of the war, the depres
sion Of the panic, with its immens
shrinkage ofivalues," quite as rapid
ly as the North. If the North hat
been run through the Republican
mill in the same fashion; if it had t,
struggle, not only with the prevail
ing financial distress, but with negro
carpet-bag bayonet domination, W,
question whether it would have al
hopeful an outlook as the South to
day st. Louis Republican.
a -PEoPLE who fancy that Demo
cratic, domination at Washington
means battle, murder, sudden dealt
and other things too fearful to b
l.. -..110kz 4 l.,