New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-03-16
HOW TO DO IT.

Messrs. Marks and Fenner have ap-
preached the true and only reform that is
practicable in this State nearer than any
Of their associates. because they have ac-
tually mounted the Republican platform.
Their only mistake has been that they
have attempted to crowd the original oc-
cupants Of the platform off Of the structure
which it was confessed they reared under
very adverse circumstances. When Messrs.
Marks and Fenner reform their own con-
duct in this respect they will then be en-
titled to hold the positions which they now
assume, and to which they have been in
vited over and over again. Reform with
them, We take it, is not mere catch-word
to some selfish political design of their
own, but is an honest slogan, intended to
rally all men in the interest and to the
support of honesty and efficiency in the
administration Of the government. There
are thousands Of good men in the Repub-
lican party who might be induced to act
with Messrs. Marks and Fenner, if they
were invited so to DO, and were told
and made to believe that they and
their associates would be treated
fairly and squarely, without any more
reference to their political opinions than
such as might be made toward the Dem
ocratic adherents to the reform organiza-
ton. These gentlemen consider that there
is great necessity for some sort OF reor-
| ganization of both parties i'll this State,
for they have long deprecated the fact
| that great many men succeed in having
themselves elected to Office upon the
fraudulent pretex. that they are Repub-
licans. And they are very willing to assist
in wedding this sort Of knavery out Of the
public service, whereby they will assist in
wedding it out of their own party; but
! they are not willing to enter the Reform
party merely to become the associates and
upholders Of few Democrats who pro-
pose to use this doubtful way of obtaining
that support which they could not hope to
receive under their true principles.
Still further, there are hundreds, yes,
thousands, Of people who would join the
Reform party if they could be satisfied
that it had showing of success. How
can Messrs. Marks and Fenner satisfy
these parties? How can they convince
the undecided masses that they are likely
to receive large accessions from the col
ored voters, without which they are
powerless to do any good? We can tell
them. They now have in their organize
ton heavy delegation Of gentlemen who
have been known for the last four or five
wears as Democrats, Or, rather, as Conser-
natives. These men draw to the reform
ers large white support. Now, let them
take an equal number of pronounced Re
pubicans, gentlemen who have proved
their faithfulnAss TO the colored people
under every circumstances, who are known
for their loyalty to the laws and to the
government Of the United States, and
this will have the effect to convince the
latter class that the Reform party is not
a Democratic organization in disguise.
How else do they expect to obtain that
support which they admit to be neces-
sity? By such combination as we have
suggested the people will see that the true
mean has been really obtained, and that
all the reformers, both those who desire
to reform the Democratic and those who