The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1879-03-19
THE STATE PRINTING,

PFietofs VI the ftcdyHRe, state Printer
IN place of Mr.. Dupre. The Democrat
is entirely satisfied with the new ar.
rangenent, and so far rs we are con
cerned Mr.. Nicholson is cordially well
come to the honors and emolument OF
q position which, if the utterances OF
his own paper during the last two
years are to be credited, is a grinding
monopoly which should be broken up
AN Office discre,litable to the holder
and oppressive to the people, and the
pay OF which is nothing else than
plnnder. We repeat that the new ar
rangement is entirely satisfactory to
the Democrat, but we must remark
that the appointment is most extra
ordinary one. Why Governor Mich
oils should have appointed citizen of
Mississippi State Printer is utterly in
comprehensive. 1t may not be known
that Mr.. Nicholson is citizen Of our
sister State, but such is the case. In
libel suit, brought in one of. the
State courts last December, Nicholson
applied to have the case transferred to
the United States Court on the ground
that he (Nicholson) and his wife were
citizens OF Mississippi, and he made a
sworn affidavit to the fact. If Mr..
Nicholson was a citizen of Mississippi
two months ago, he cannot be a citi-
zen of Louisiana now, and lie is ineli.
gible to hold a public Office here
However he and the Governor may ar
range this little difficulty to please
themselves we only refer to it as
singular sort of an appointment; and
right here we would dismiss tbs whole
matter, were it not that many of our
friends have expressed some curiosity
to know the reasons which prompted
the Goveror to take the printing from
the Democrat and give it to the Plea
yune. We believe that the Governor
has given no reason for his action, but
we think we comprehend them. 1t is
a we'll known fact that the Democrat
has never been in full accord with the
administration since the day following
tue Inauguration of Governor Nichols.
We opposed the plan adopted to get
rid of the Packard fraud. We opposed
the payment of the Metropolitan po-
lice, and the mem ers ofthe fraudulent
Legislature, while they were in open
revolt against the government and
threatening the city with riot and
bloodshed. The administration was
bitterly hostile to our war on the
Louisiana Lottery Company. The adj
ministration favored the Moffett Reg
lister law, and the Democrat forced it's
repeal. The administration was OBJ
posed to the calling of constitutional
convention. aud. tile Democrat devoted
nearly two years Of untiring labor to
have n convention called. The ad-
minisiraii"n has deprecated the meth.
DDS by which, in what are known as
the bnlldozrd regions of the State, a
number Of our finest Parishes have
been rescued from brutal negro and
corrupt white rule, while the Democrat
has advocated those methods, and un
ceasing'y defended the Democrats for
the course they pursued. The admin
istration accepts the theory that the
boudiiol,!ers have contract with the
Pc pie under which the Ave aud a hall
mills interest tax must be wrung out
of the people even If, thereby, the
State be utterly Impoverished and sold
eat Oh the block. The Democrat be
lieves that it is the imperative duty of
the convention to reduce the expenses
OF tile government, and the volume of.
the debt and the interest on it so that
the State rate of taxation, for all par-
poses, may be reduced to at least
FIVE mills. as
These are the great leading meas.
nres on which the Democrat has diff
fered with the Governor. The people
of Louisiana have upon every one of
these issues agreed with the Democrat
Every measure we advocated has been
carried, and our position on the State
debt will be fully sustained. The Pic.
ay,ne on every one of these questions
sided with the Governor and the Pic
ayune carried not one single measure
they advocated before the people.
These differences ofopinion between
the Democrat and the Governor, we
assume prompted the Governor to go
even to the extreme of taking a step
of very questionable legality to ap.
point Mr.. Nicholson State Printer. If,
however, he is satisfied that he has
acted within the law in making this
appointment, we have no cause to
censure him for the step. There arc
so many grave and we are snre honest
differences of opinion between us that
Democrat could expect no favors at the
Governors hands. But We are free to
congratulate ourselves upon the fact
that losing the favor of the Governor
is not losing the favor of the Demo
cratic party. The party has sustained