The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-07-24
The Political Situation.
From the New Orleans Times.I

mere can De no possible doubt OF the
fact that Radicalism has too long hal
its Own way in Louisiana. 1t requires
the discipline OF defeat to reduce the
fever OF its ambition and bring it back
to a just appreciation of the true prin.
ciples of self government. This beins
the case, the policy Of all wise and pru,
dent men should be to so shape events
as to make reform and redemption pos
sible. Have they done so? Has there
been any reasonable effort to combine
all conservative elements in this com
munity against corruption and misrule
we fear that these questions will have
to be answered in the ne"ative. About
the best evidence of wisdom and )ru-
dence is to be found in the wise ata1-
tatiOn Of means for the ACCOMPLISH
ment of desirable ends. Judged by
this crucial test, much of what it's au-
thOrs undoubtedly mistOOk for wisdom
must be set down as fOOlishness, and
that which passed with them for pru-
dence must take rank as prejudice.
In a commonwealth where the white
conservatives are unfortunately in the
minority, it IS madness to adopt a shib-
bOleth which must necessarily exclude
all colOred conservatives; and in. COM
munlties where the wealth-producing
men OF muscle ~ almost exclusively
negroes, it is absolutely suicidal to I'M
dettake reforms by refusing to give
these Wealth-DrOducers employment.
10 attempt suGA g thing is to organize
confusion, and furnish at once the
prompting causes and excuses for plum
der. When men are deprived of the
opportunities OF earning a livelihood,
the demands OF conscience and those of
the a~lImentary nerves become confused,
and they take, without saying to the
owners, by your leave"
In this city, where there is q large
preponderenCe of white inhabitan ), it
might be possible to run q winning
ticket on a issues, and, by refusing
to give the negroes employment, force
them to seek it elsewhere. Not so,
however, in the country parishes. There
the numbers are unquestiOnably in
their favor, except in one or two isOla-
ted instances, and if it be White League
logic that might and numbers make,
right in the city, it would be by no
means wonderful that q like course of
~rleasonlng be adopJed as Black League
logic III tie country,
TO this the whites of the rural dis
trlcts OF course object. They do not
relish the idea of being made tile vic
inns OF a IetaliatOry logic so ~ruinous in
Its consequences. What is sport to the
proSscrlptlye boys Of the city is death
to them. They cannot bear SO inevi-
table a reversal of the tables, and there
fore request their city friends to take
the whole case under advisement before
they rashly act.
II Louisiana were a really indepen-
dent and sovereign State, subject to the
control OF no superior authority, a
revolutionary arhltrament might be in
YOked by the whites with large. chances
OF success in their favor. But, as mat
tiers stand, DO such issue can be made
without imperiling everything. Major
f. A: Blu. Ike, who, though a prominent
candidate in 1872, is not II at present,
and will not be one in the approaching
campaign, advises, in a letter Just pub
hshed, the consolidation of all Deme-
cratic, Reform, Liberal and Indepen-
dent clubs in this city, and adds: "In
my opinion the organization of a po1i-
tlcal party based upon race distinctions
IS a political, blunder, calculated to
place IN the hands of Radical dema-
gogues the means of alternating that
powerful current Of kindly interest in
dIcated by the people of the North in
the session contributions, House vote
SHA"A DlllS dpplOplluGlOu lu SUI
,vey. Of leyees and mouth of river, and
IN the Congressional donation for over
flowed sufferers"
Now, Major Burke is by no means
alone In this opinion. The White
League policy is that best calculated to
strengthen the hands Of the Radical
Wrong-doers and give them Il new lease
OF power, They reiOice at the bIunder
made, and propose to turn it to their
Owl advantage. As the Major ind
mates, the question of race supremacy
in the valley of the Mississippi cannot
be one of long Duration. AS soon as
our levees are rebuilt and We have Sc
cured q reliable outlet to the sea, the
natural attractions of Louisiana will
bring within her lines such numbers of
white producers and voters as will
speedily settle the rac question for all
time. =
Let lis. wisely work for our redemp-
ton now, and wisely wait for what the
future may bring forth. =