St. Landry democrat., 1886-09-04
Grand Revolution.
Picayunc.

1t often requires cyclone to purify
the atmosphere, accompanying its bene-
ticent influences with ruin and death
inflicted on helpless creatures. 1t is
oftener than otherwise that revolutions
to overthrow corruption and tyranny
are bloody and MISUNDERSTANDING
their fury on the innocent as we'll as
the guilty.
Fortunately, however, not all great
works Of reform are wrought with viO-
lent means, and there is one that we
are most happy to chronicle which has
been free from storms and warfare. 1t
has been accomplished strictly, but
effectively, purely through the instru-
mentality Of legal methods and by ap-
pealing to the sense OF right and justice
of good citizens, instead OF lnf1amlng
their anger and arousing violent pas
siOnS. 49,.
In this way Il great moral and poiti-
cal revolution has been successfully in
augurated in this city, which will be
felt throughout the State and benefit
it's good name through the length and
breadth of the land. Its greatness and
beneficence may not be fully appre,
but so successfully carried on, but else
1
recognized and are attracting marked
attention and admiration. Its effects
and progress have been closely OBJ
served and they elicit strong express
siOns of appreciation on all sides. The
Shreveport Times, one of the most
vigorous, clearheaded and independent
Journals in the State has thus briefly
but graphically sketched the course of
this revolution in New Orleans. 1t
says:
The times has been no passive spec
tator of the struggle in which New Or
leans has been engaged during the
past three years to dethrOne the p0liti-
cal kings who have cast aside all law,
and substituted for good order and
good government in that city the whims
and caprices of their own sweet wills.
That the contest has been fierce and
bitter one is known to every citizen OF
the State who has observed the pro-
eress of events in the Crescent City.
Strongly intrenched in the courts and
in every position which could shield
and defend, the hoodlnms of New Or
leans rioted for years III security
which no effort of the better element
could disturb. Men Of the Ford stripe
controlled the city. Jurles were packed,
witnesses were suborned, judges were
bought, and everything done to shield
the brutal and vicious, provided, only,
that they belonged to the gang
Political influence controlled the ave-
nues of justice, and no mans life or
property was safe. Now, however, the
age of law has arrived. Through the
bold, courageous action of few men,
who braved danger without the slight
est quailing, the gang was given to
understand that law and order were
something more than memory with
the people of New Orleans. At first
this seemed but an idle threat of a
weak element in the population of the
city, without political influence and
without ability to enforce its just de-
mands But by degrees the truth
dawned on the hoodlum crowd that the
day had come when law would resume
its reign. The conviction of the Ford
gang and the execution of two of them
was the first pronounced step towards
reform, and when the Ford perjurers
and subornerS were sent to the Penl-
Tertiary, the triumph of the better
element was complete. 1t is now pos
sible to convict murderers in New Or
leans; it is even possible to convict
them when they are backed by Gin
fluencen And it is further possible to
land them in the Penitentiary, and have
them serve their terms.