The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-04-14

TT seems to have come to stay.
What seems to have come to
Ri stay? The reform movement, and
It. not only appears to have come
to stay until it has done its perfect
work, but seems to be widespread.
reaching from San Francisco to Bos-
ton. When a few years ago a few
men began to agitate In favor of re
form, many persons turned up their
noses and said that, like many reform
movements which they could remem-
Der, this one would be short lived but
these prophets turned out to be false
prophets. In fact. many good people
who earnestly desire to see things i'm
proved did not take any stock in the
reformers simply because they had
seen many reform movements, promis
ing In the beginning. come to naught
But the proponents Of the present
ground swell Of reform were in no
way dismayed and pressed forward
steadily and valiantly. They belong
to all parties. Bryan and Roosevelt,
Folk and La Toilette are all engaged
AiA uOlAS w nat llCy SoASidCl lIIoL hs
work Governor Hughes and William
Randolph Hearst, though opposing
candidates for governor of New York.
each has certain reforms which each
thinks important. Pennsylvania is the
only place where reform seems to have
received a. jolt In 1906 she elected a
Democratic state treasurer by nearly
100000 majority just one year after
she had rolled up more than 100000
majority for Roosevelt. Last year,
however, she elected Republican
governor by something over $4,000 ma
jority.
At first blush that would seem to be
q step backward. 1t should be ,remem-
bered, however that it was really
race betwixt two Republicans-True.
Emery The defeated one was indoors
ed by Democratic state convention
not, however, without a hard struggle
and much bitterness-so much bitter
ness. In fact, that large number of
Democrats sulked and some no doubt
bolted. 1t should also be remembered
that Mr.. Stuart, the regular Republic
an nominee. who was elected governor
claimed that he was the only simon
pure reformer on the track, boldly and
all rings. bosses and cliqnes and as
severated volubly that be would be
governor in fact as well as I'm name,
governor not of a faction. but of all
the people. | have been. told by close
observers In the keystone State that
these promises made many times elect
ed him. and to be fair and just Pennsyl-
vania papers say that he is carrying
out his ante-election promises.
At present in Pennsylvania all other
questions are obscured by the investi-
cation into the huge jobbery in con-
structing and furnishing the new state
rapitol. The indications are that sew
eral more or less prominent tobbers
are likely to do time in the peniten-
fiary before the thing is done with.
Congress for some five or six years
has been engaged In all sorts of re-
form work, the result of which no man
can now foreteH. Let us hope that the
&tSAlhS " al hG Sooa diU piOsS AAat
congress Is not lot of ignoramuses.
ms some folks pretend to believe.
Nor has reform work been confined
In these strenuous years to presidents.
presidential candidates. governors and
congress. Almost every legislature in
the land has taken a hand at the re-
form bellows. and instead of the tide
receding there was more reform work
done the past winter than ever before
In the same length of time on this con-
tinent. In Missouri. In bidding the leg
fslature farewell, Governor Folk con-
graduated the members on much good
work done. but reminded them that
there is still much to do and imme-
diately issued his proclamation con-
rening the legislature in extraordinary
session.
So 1t goes from sea to sea and from
the great lakes to the gulf of Mexico
Surely there must be some fire |
where there is so much smoke, and,
while certain of these reform measures |
may be crude or even unwise. on the |
whole the chances are that they will |
be productive OF good
How 1t Grows.