The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1883-04-14

The people ofto-day are UNJUST
in their criticisms OF the official
acts Of public men. Ordinarily,
when d man is called by his fel-
low citizens to some responsible
and honorable position it is be-
cause he Inns shown his capacity
to ill public position. The people
believe him to be honest--as hon
est and conscientious as they
claim to be--or they wonld MOI
choose him; but once elected they
seem to think that his every action
is to be criticised and even mis-
represented, If a point can thereby
be made against him. II he sup
ports measure which, in his hon
est Judgment would be beneficial
| 10 bis section or state, be is certain
not TO please every ore, and those
displessed empty their Walls OF
wrath upon him. while at the same
time the official is honest in his
opinions perhaps more go than
those who abuse him. The gov
ernor Of stale occupies a very
responsible position and be is GER
tain to be The best abused man in
the state. He does not make the
laws but BIO approves or disap-
proves them and is the chief execu
tive officer of the state. IL he
signs a certain bill he is sure to be
abused by those who oppose the
measure, and If he vetoes it he is
abused by those who favored i.
We have q case in point in the
governor Of Texas. Judge Ire
land, although not elected by as
large q majority as his predecessor,
was popular man. He is man
who forms his own opinions. with
ont regard to the opinions of 9TH
ers. He.is conscientious in all he
does, and when he believes himself
right win go ahead, regardless Of
adverse criticism. Just now, Gov.
Ireland's enemies are more MINER
GUS than ever before, and people
all over his state are abusing him
for some Of his official actions.
Some abuse him for not fayoring
the penitentiary lease and others
because be favored it. AT the
same time, the governor had never
said whether he favored it or not.
One senator undertook to say that
the goyernorwas in favor of it and
when it came to his ears he re-
marked that no man represented
him or spoke his views except him
self. We believe ireland is one
ofthe best governors Texas ever
had. There is no doubt Of his de-
sire to do right. Another case is
that Of the governor of Louisiana.
He is accused Of being the head
and front Of a ring.of plnnderers
of the state, abused for pardoning
and not pardoRiBg convietsr abus-
ed for the bad condition in which
some of the lavees were found this
spring, abused because conviets
we're and were not put at work on
the levees, and o thousand other
things. Can any one say, Of his
OWL knowledge, that Gov McEn-
cry is not an honest, conscientious
man? Why not give him credit
for trying to do right, even if we
differ with him? No man can
Judge of another's actions. What
inspires a governor to come spe-
cific action no one but himself can
know. No man but one with q
positive character is fit for gov
ernor Of a great and growing state,
and such q man is certain to make
enemies. If people would take
time to think before speaking it is
certain they would say less and
criticiss less the actions of those
whose motives are to them nm
known. The press is much to
blame for the unjust abuse heaped
upon officials. II is the press
which sets the ball in motion.
While newspapers like = "sep-
tinel upon q watch tower, " and all
that sort of thing, the editor is
only one of the people and too
often has as narrow views upon
most subjects as ordinary mortals.
In short, let us think before we
speak, or write.
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ONE Of our Lonisiana exchanges