The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1883-08-25
OUR GoosEQulLL LETTERS.


vania Democrats-An Eight-year-o
Murderer-Cholera and Quarantine-A
Historical Church Montgomery Blair.
| PHILADELPHIA, August 4, 1888.
! EDITOR CHIEF:
The Democratic State Convention met at
Harrisburg on Wednesday and without any
difficulty nominated good ticket. There
were number of strong, leading men
present, but an absence of any thing like
bossism. Ex-Speaker Samuel j. Randall
and Attorney General Cassidy were there,
consulting and advising with the boys, in q
quiet way; more from force of habit than
any thing else. Mr.. Randall was urged to
take the chair, but declined.
Capt. Taggart was nominated for Audi
tor General and Major Joseph Powell for
grade and it does man good to record
that the Offices sought the men. Captain
Taggart has not been prominent in State
politics, but he is we'll known as man of
sterling integrity, of good business ex-
perience as well as capacity, and is bound
to command the respect of all parties. He
ran for the Senate in 1876 and once for the
Legislature-ea time defeated He served
in the army three years and was promoted
to the rank of Major. Colonel Joseph
Powell, ex-Congressman, merchant and
banker, was formerly Republican, but
followed Greeley in 1872 and since then has
worked with the Democrats. He was cleo
ted to Congress in 1874 by small majority
and made creditable record for himself.
He was one of the thirty nine Democrats
who held the House in session all summer
to resist legislation in the soft money in
terest. He is an out and out hard money
man, perfectly competent, honest, conser-
vative and painstaking. Heis widely known
and Of such great popularity that he has
been frequently talked of for Office, but has
always showed disposition to bold back.
In 1879 he was third on the nomination list
for State Treasurer. wrote to you of the
! very excellent nominations made by the
Republicans, SO we can take comfort in the
| thought that, whichever side is victorious,
the offices will be filled by good men and
will be safe in their keeping. A Demo-
| cratic victory in Ohio may have depress-
| ing effect upon Republicanism in this State,
but as tho Republicans have become united,
it seems to be a foregone conclusion that
| they will elect their ticket.
The Democratic platform is of the usual
| typo in dealing with general issues-en-
dorses the Administration uneiuiyocally,
indulges in good deal of self -commenda-
| ton for certain economies enforced in the
| departments of the State government over
which they have control, and denounces
that portion of the Republican platform
which has called forth such universal criti-
cism, recommending the Federal govern
ment to distribute its surplus funds among
the States; argues that there should be no
surplus funds; that the money not needed
for the expenses of the Government should
remain with the people, and to this end
favors the entire abolition of internal taxa
| ton.
There was sad sight in the Coroner's
Office yesterday. A huge policeman (the
policemen of this city, as a rule, like those
of New York, are perfect giants) had a
small boy, years old, in custody. And for
what? For crime-murder! The boys name
is Trodden He has, with his two brothers,
lived in the street. The father, hostler, is
away from home all day, and the STEP
mother has had no influence or control
over the boys. With their chums they fire.
| quented the market place, stole boxes, bar
rels, any thing that they could put hands
on, went by the name of the Modocs and
were the dread of every one. They were
frequently arrested, but always got off be-
cause no one appeared to prosecute them.
| any of the Modoc set-went to the market
for the first time ON Tuesday and was
| making his pennies honestly, by carrying
| baskets. He happened to tread on q little
| boys toes, who bumped up against him.
| The fact was communicated to the Modocs,
| and quarrel was at once begun. Edward
Troddcn finally picked up a butchers knife
and hurled it with all his might at Walker;
tines so badly that in few hours the victim
died. Walker was only II years old. Poor
| children of the streets and cutters, how can
we blame them? Neglected, left to run at
large like the dogs, no kind, tender care, no
protection, no good influences brought to
bear upon them-what chance have they to
fit themselves for any thing save the Jail or
the gallows? Oh, men and women who in
terest yourselves SO much in things at a
distance-in foreign missions, in the heath
en- beyond the seas-why will ye not look at
home? Why will ye not work harder to
l,umanize and christianize the heather
iingS?
The dreadful accounts of cholera in
Egypt and the possibility Of its coming to
this country have resulted in some good to
Philadelphia. Efforts are being made to
improve its sanitary condition and strict
quarantine has been established. 1t is a
mooted question whether quarantine will
keep out cholera. There are physicians
who insist that it will not; who think quar-
| antine useless and cruel arrangement
that the disease is not contagious; that it
can not be carried around by clothing, and
| therefore the importation of rags from
Egypt or any other infected point need not
| be feared; that nothing will bar it out but
absolute cleanliness, pure water, pure air
and abstemious living: and that nothing
will break it up but moving the people
from the filthy, infected locality. From
this we conclude that those who live in clean
houses, free from sewer gas or other i'm
nrrities with clean Yards euttera and