St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1886-01-23
A Cause of Popularity.

United States ever had Some of his
acts were characterized as tyrannical
and his conduct in relation to the e. S
Bank was harshly criticised but after
eight years service he retired from the
Presidency poor man, and his devo-
ton to the interests of the people as
distinguished from oney-making pol
itieians, manufacturers, and capitalists.
was beyond question. His two admin
istrations are financially at least, the
brightest period in the history of the
United States. The public debt during
his administrations was at the mini
mum it began to fall as soon as he
became President, and fell rapidly till
it amounted to comparatively nothing
at the close of his second term. One
year on third term under him would
have wiped out the public debt entirely
There was no such financial manage
ment under any other administration !;
and the rapid decline of the public debt
as soon as he became President, and its
rapid increase under his immediate
successor, show that the reduction IN
der him was not due to any causes set
in motion by his predecessors. A re-
view of the debt under each President
will make this apparent. The figures
we use are round numbers, and there
fore less than the actual sum. Under
Washington in 1891 the debt was $75,0OO,-
900 at the close Of his second term it
was $685. $1,000; at the close of John
Adams term, $s2,OOO,OO0; at the close
of Jefferson's second term, s65,OO0MD:
at the close of Madison's second term;
S127,000,C00; at the close of Monroe's
second term, $1,000 1000 at the close of
John Q. Adams term $67, 100000; at the
close OF Jackson's first term, 1924, 100000;
and at the close of his second term only
$4,000. 1t went up under his successor,
Van Buren, to $10,O00,000 but at the close
of his term was 100000 at the close
of Harrison and Tyler's term it was
S23,000,O00; at the close of PSlk's, $47,-
100000; at the close of Taylor and Fill
more's term, $66OOO,0OO; at the close of
Pierce's term, $31,OOO,OOO; at the close
of Buchanan's term, $64,OOOOOO; at the
close OF Lincoln's first term, nearly
$20O0,0 100000 at the close of Lincoln
and Johnston's term, little over ST.
50O,000,000 at the close of Grants two
terms, over 100000; at the close
OF Hayes term, nearly 100000 1000;
at the close of Garfield and Arthur's
term, a little less than $1,5 100000
Therefore, we repeat, his administra-
tions are financially the brightest era in
the history Of the United States. He
served the people, and not the polti-
clans. The first time he was a candi-
date he received more votes than any {
OF his competitors, but the politicians |
defeated him and counted another in S
under the forms of law but the people t
remained faithful to him because he e
was faithful to them, and at the next t
election he was irresistible. v
The great evil at the present day is v
the corruption Of the politicians-of n
that large body of men who hold Office, il
or aspire to hold Office and unless 8
there be change, our republican gov A
eminent will sooner or later be des- n
troyed, or become despotism under tt
republican forms. Office is sought now a
not so much as matter of honor and b
for the benefit of people, but that the b
may grow rich, by fair n
means or foul, and most always the il
latter. No senator, no member OF Con- K
gress, no member of any department of al
I State government, not to mention Il
many other office-holders, can become W
'ich honestly but many Of them do I'll
become rich, and they can do SO only Of
~ corrupt means. Part of their ill fl
gotten wealth is used to corrupt the a,
people and have themselves or their st
friends in vice elected to office and SC
When the people can not be corrupted ca
0 that extent, having the machinery Of tv
government already in their hands, sl
hey. count themselves in against tile fl,
Fill of the people.
The remedy is, for the people to crush CO
uch corrupt politicians by such an az az
overwhelming vote that they can never na
se again, that they will not dare Co
lmper with the election returns. They tn
lould spot all office-seekers who have h Ia
rown rich on a small salary or legis- 40
tors per diem, even though foisted Bl
BON them as candidates by conven- SIC
Dns USUALLY packed) to whose party "'
ey belong, and sllun them politically
they would case of leprosy. There :,