St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-06-16
The Cause of Hoodlumis,n.
N. o. Plcayune.

Chief of Police and the precinct COM
| handlers covered all the points that can
be met by him under existing condl-
tions. It is true, perhaps, that the re-
cent outrageous conduct OF certain
hoodlums in this city was not in every
instance as promptly repressed as 1T
might have been had the police been
altogether as yigilant and energetic as
they are expected to be. It is also true
that the force is lamentably small, and
that indiscriminate and unqualified
censure is unjust under the circum-
stances. Tn declaring that he would
hold the police officers responsible to
himself, as he in turn is held RESPONSE
BILE to the city for protection of its peace,
the Mayor spoke with commendable
manliness and good sense. 1t was un-
fortunate that in the selection of the
personnel of the force he did not act
with the same enlightened understand
ing of his sole responsibility to the pub
/ lie. If the men are not so effective as
even so small number might be, his
Honor is himself largely to blame in
that he surrendered his power. of ap-
pointment to individual members of the
Council, dealing with the matter as pa
tronage that went legitimately with the
spoils of victory.
But the inefficiency Of the police, TO
whatever cause it may be due, is not
the true explanation of the prevalence
of hoodlumism in New Orleans. The
power Of the police ends with arrest,
and certainly no one would contend that
| tile arrest Of criminals is of itself a
sufficient preventive of crime. The
real trouble lies in the fact, that the
criminals who are arrested are not pun
ished. Straw bail, packed juries and a
lax executive are at the root of the
evil
Tt is understood in this community
that many of the leaders of the hood
linn gang are directly under the protec-
| ton of certain influential politicians.
They assist theH chiefs in the capture
of the city and Gen they ask the privi-
lege of sacking it, or, if not that, at least
Of outraging its peaceable inhabitants.
When the hoodlum is arrested, there
fore he expects his political friend to
pay his fine, orif necessary to furnish
him with bail. If the case is a very Sc
rious one the same protector NJ st look
after the jury-he must see that the
ruffian Is s'tried by his peers.H
The consequence of all this is that
comparatively few w-breakers are
convicted. But even when conviction
has been reached it is often-far tos of
ten-followed by pardon. The report
of the Secretary of State, for the two
years ending May /, 1882, shows that
during that period the Governor grant
ed 119 pardons and sixteen commute
tations of sentence. Since that report
was rendered the same ill-advised and
dangerous leniency has been continued.
Is it wonderful that the law has lost its
terrors while the law-breaker goes un-
whipped of justice
The hoodlum has not made the situa-
ton, but the situation has made the
hoodlum for opportunity is always the
source of scoundrelism. The remedy
will not consist in new laws in the
books, but in new men in Office, and we
do not believe that any substantial re-
form can be secured before the con-
trolling rings in the State and city have
been shorn of their power.
The evil Of which we complain had its
origin in the Generalization and dis
ruption of society consequent upon the
close of the late war. The Radical
usurpation that was then set over the
people failed to deserve or to command
respect. Tt was government which
made laws in furtherance of personal
and partisan ambition and greed, and
which entrusted the execution of the.
laws to officials whom the best people
of the State very justly regarded as
public enemies. But when that usur-
patton had been overthrown the control
Of the party which had been sustained
by the intelligence and honesty of the
State relaxed its vigilence and fell I'M
der an unfortunate leadership. In that
particular the Democratic party has
been at fault, and all the more so be-
cause it has been, until very recently,
obstinately at fault. It has been too
unwilling to admit that necessity for
change which every day is making it.
self more obvious to clear-sighted men.
In selecting new leaders we need not