The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-09-26
THE gOvERNORsHIP.

ing experience and knowledge OF affairs |
which, at this particular juncture Of our az
fairs. should be conferred In the Governor OF |
the com monwealth.
No more senseeEs cry could be raised, In q |
government, than that against |
politicians The history Of parliamentary |
government In England since the revolution, |
shows that the men who have ruled that na- |
ton and wrought out the liberties Gifts people, |
whether they were lords or commoners, were |
trained and skilled. indeed, we may soy pro-
fessional politicians The same may be said
Of this country; and though there are excep- |
tions to tho rule, those men, Ignorant Of poll |
tics and affairs, who have been elected TO Con
gress or other high positions on some popu-
lar boom, have, as general thing, either been
nonentities or made themselves ridiculous.
Indeed IL we are to Judge by the light OF ex-
perience, no greater blow could be struck the
commercial and Industrial interests OF State
than to exclude from its councils and Its gov
eminent those men who have made politics
a study and who have an honorable ambition
for political power and preferment.
There are, undoubtedly, many men who en-
gage in politics from corrupt and sordld mo-
tives, and such men, when they come before
the people, should be whipped to the rear
But when the people have found man who
has the capacity for leadership and the ambi-
tlon for public life. with the integrity which
makes such capacity and ambition admirable,
they should trust. honor and promote him,
because he is better qualified than others OF
equal intelligence To advance the material in
terests Of the State
Such man we know Gov. Witt to be, and
therefore the DEMOCRAT is giving him Its
most earnest and cordial support.
Our people, especially our merchants, plant
ers, property holders and mechanism
deeply interested In stable and economical
government should remember, that just now
we are about to put In operation new sys-
tenn OF government in which there are many
radical and doubtful departures from our old
landmarks. The material concerns Of the
commonwealth are intimately dependent
upon the patriotic and skillful handling OF
the new machinery. Hence we do not now.
OF all times. want tyro In civil affairs
at the head Of the government The
new Governor should be a man Of large
experience In politics and Legislative and e4-
ecutive business, and, above all things, he
should be perfectly familiar with the now con
stitution the debates out of which 1t
was born, and with the intentions Of its
trainers.
No man In Louisiana 80 fully comes up 20
these requirements as Gov. Wilt. He began
his public life when little more than q boy, IN
the Legislature OF 1868, where he learned
lessons in human nature and discovered
springs OF corrupt legislation which In the
management OF men and the guardianship
OF the public interests will prove OF inestl-
, mable advantage to him. Administering the
city government as Mayor Ia period OF rev.
olution protlgacy and corruption, every fac
: ulty OF his keen intellect was trained and de
, veloped to the highest degree, and he 40
nuired an experience which no man, Mt any
subsequent period OF this elty's history, could
have acquired In the same office. Again
: he served in the Legislature of 1875 and 1870
where he was leader, keen debater and In.
defatgable worker. Az Lieutenant Cover
nor OF the State and President OF the Senate
his education Ia the public concerns Of Lou
isiana and In the direction and management
Of governmental affairs was completed There
is not detail OF government that this gen
tleman is not familiar with; not a depart
|
not acquainted himself with; and. q business
: man himself, with laudable ambition to win
the respect, confidence ana support OF the com
mercial, agricultural and industrial classes
Of the State, he has thoroughly mastered the
: relations between government and the ma
I terial interests oi the people, which are to be
, affected for veal WOO by the new order q
| things.
a
AS president of the Constitutional Conven-
! vention, Gov. Wilt became thoroughly &C
attaiHteH with the new organic law; he knows
j its bearing upon every interest Of the State
n and on every class Of the people; he thorough
\ ly comprehends Its proposed workings; ht
has necessarily studied it In every particular
and formed opinions rs to the probable effects
i OF its various provisions its merits and fts
}. probable defects. Heis also familiar with thu
/, meaning and purposes OF Its trainers, and Ii
t consequently acquainted with It's real spirit
' 1t ID folly to tell an Intelligent people that
II such a man does not possess the highest ant
y most necessary qualifications to put this new
b constitution In operation and to administer
q the affairs or the State under 1t for the frs
n few years Of It's operation.
\ The long public career OF Gov. Wiltz ha
d also brought him into intimate intercours
J. with the prominent men Of every parish II
J. Louisiana; with their views and with the In
i forests and character OF the people he is thor
d oughly familiar. or what other man In tn
d State can these things be said. Against suc
i a man the cry Of professional politician
n Is simply ridiculous There are politl
!, clans who. because OF their selishness, cor
J ruption and want Of principle should b
!. driven from public life like maraude
a. from tho camp, with thief and crimins
|: branded On his back. But there are also po
IF iticians who should be honored, trusted an
I. advanced by the people for their devotion t
H. the public interests, for their laudable amb
M ton far honorable fame and for their persona