St. Landry democrat., 1883-09-01
CIsasage as n Check in Adj
administrations.
IN. o. Picayunc.l

+ ! a
mo. Picayune.l
lin Louisiaua. there is practically but
one party. The check 'that is supplied
by the mutual watchfulEess of the two
great rival organizations in the General
Government is wanting here, and must
be substituted, by some other meaas OF
public protection. The natural and
usual effect of security in office is loose
mess of administration, and where it is
not expedient to threaten that security
by the formation ofan opposing party
it is doubly necessary that the people !
should take an active interest in the
conduct of political affairs and the
transaction of official business. In con-
sress the Democrats are ever on the
lookout to take advantage OF the slight
est slip.on the Republican side, and the
Republicans, for their part, are equali.r
vigilant. In many of the State Gov
ernments similsr balance ct parties
produces the same salutary effect, and
the BODY of the people feel 1that they
may safely trust che Democratic "outs"
to keep a watch over the Republican
''ins,Hcr cice cesee.
Butsn Louisiana there is nc such safe
guard against n,aladrnintstrationasnd
evillegislation. Here the Republican
"outs" are SO hepelessly weak that their
criticism may be defied watl, impnaity.
When we consider the enoTnity oftahe
wrongs peppetsated by Their party in
timestpast, we cannot depreeate this as
in itself regretable circumstance ;fbut
at the same time it is clear that the alb
sence of a. wholesome restraint, from
without must in some way he made up
within the dominant party. Iheslost
Obvieus remedy is the oDesw have al
ready suggested, which is that the pri-
waite members of the panty, thes-lon-
Office seeking classes, must give.-extra
affection to the details of,public.6usl-
ness. But even when taatiis donasllere
is still an alarming likelihood that
many abuses of power Will escape dis
covery. Whoever had to undertake
the d:sagreeable task of Investigating
the accounts. and general uecords. o. any
public Office, must have been painfully
impressed.,with this fact, and must have
comesto the conclusion thsst thorough
investigation could be prosecuted only
by anew incumbent of the suspected
office, orat least only aftes the dastal-
lation.of new incumbent should have
removed the hindrances Sy which an
officer interested in conceasmentG-no of
ten seeasily battle even aa honest and
painstaking inquiry.
Rotation in Office upon the prisciple
that every one hasa right TO a tern at
the pablo crib. is a bad doctrine; but
change in the personnel of govern
ment Hith.a view to the preservation of
puritEeo Of. administration, is quite an
other matter. I'VE cannot afford to
keep any one set of officials TOO l0ag un-
der the,terrible temptations Of place and
power, unless at the same time. they are
under the constant surveillance .of
strong opposition party. Since wa have
not here "a strong opposition party,
there ss1o safety except ia sfraaGent
change.
Thereis no hardship in the appiica-
ton Of the rule J, for Office is the gift of
the people and notthe right oftthe pol
itician. nc happens, moreover, .jjnst
now in tl.is.Sta that not one Of its SER
wants is indispensable to the dnainte-
nance of ats peace and prosperity.
There is.nnt one Of ,them who ,esnnot
be replaced, and the condition of our
affairs would be, very bad indeed were
it otherwise. It is .related that ,ence
when Andy. 5ohnsen,was urged TO. ap4
point certain gentleman to the man
agement of "a public institutions apon
the ground that no other citizen was
competent to discharge the duties of
the place, he remarked: I'VE had bet
ter wind the thing ,up.n When asked
why he thaueLt SO The replied ssHe
might die" ItWas wellsaid for what
,would becoaae f the concern when dts
only possible nanager:haa ceased to ex-
list. In reality there are no indispen-,
sable men. Many men have failed to
see how the world could get along with
out their services. but the world hasa