The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1894-08-25
E1kL6R11lv,.S CASK.

0kL-6zkezN,.S cAsK.
After 4 prolonged Trial Of more
than week John .furner Callahan,
member of the city Council of New
Orleans, was found guilty of the
crime of having corrupely received
the ssam of $500 in his official capa-
city Of councillnan. The best legal
salene Of New Orleans was engaged
for the State ard the defense, and
the trial will rank as one Of the
most celebrated In the history of
that city That the crime was
clearly proved against the cufprit
no one will dispute, and the verdict
is universally &duitted to be Just
and impartial one. It is expected
that this conviction is the first step
toward the establishment Of an hon.
est government in the Crescent city.
The fight is now on between the
people and the artistic boodler and
blackmailer, and we hope that the
last of such characters will be swept
away by the hands Of the law from
the City Hall, where it is said by the
press, they have been artfully and
probably plying their nefarious and
disgraceful business for several years.
BY this time the balance of the pic
turesque group of boodlers inust be
trembling in their boots and whist
ling to keep up courage; but the
people have scaled the heights
lof: what was thought to be
the impregnable fortress of
municipal corruption, and we would
surmise that before many days the
slick and artful defenders will take
to their heels. The people have
learnt their power and no sensible
bribe-takers will be totally routed.
The cohesive power of plumber is
great, but when that power is
broken,- the people may expect a
complete surrender or an absolute
collapse. ....
Bribery is the most dangerous OF
crimes. Bribers and bribe-takers
call for no one to witness their vile
and contempt bic transactions and
it is difficult to convict those who
are guilty of such crime. AS bad
as other crimes are, they are not as
far reaching in their effects and as
dangerous to society and govern
ment. Bribery poisons the very
fountain head of justice and grad
ually permeates and contaminates
the whole body polite if allowed to
go unchecked. 1t is getting to be
too common in this country, and
the only remedy against it is univer.
sal condemnation of it by the peo-
as the most infamous of all crimes,
and a strict enforcement of the
laws against bribers and bride takers.
1t is charged that even the sacred
precinct of the United Senate i:
not free from the wiles and machi'
nations of the briber. During the
tariff debate Senator, German ano
one or two other senator's we1<
openly charged with being the tool:
of the sugar trust, and by their vote:
the tariff bill was badly crippled ane
fortunes were lost to several Ameri
can industries. New York City ha!
also lately given a sad spectacle O
the depth OF its political corruption
A halt must be called, or els,
the people will lose confidence il
their officers and general democrat
ization will be the consequence
1t to be wished that New Orlean
will turn a new leaf and at the mex
election choose honest men to ad
mister her affairs, and the rolitica
filth which has been brooding owe
her will disappear in the sunlight o
a new and happier day, and hence
forth she will move forward ant
take her position as the metropoli
of the South.
The Rice Crop.
Messrs. Talmage's sons say il
heir last bulletin:
I-ouisiana-Considerabl uncertainty a