The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1876-06-08
L. 70 secaEe c. Nolnineea.


Nearly every man Ia the State
expresses the opinion that the ma
teriaI interests Of the State imper
atiyely demand reform adminis-
tration. Laborers, mechanics, mer-
chants, bankers and planters affirm
their earnest desire for the election
in November next Of honest and
capable men, and the Te-establish-
ment Of legitimate and economical
government in Louisiana. This
desire il proper and commendable.
| but it does not seem to us that all
classes are pursuing that end by
/ wise and practicable means. The
time is approaching when the pri.
mary conventions are 60 be held,
and it is the primary conventions
which will most largely influence
1 the nominations. Yet we do not
find d disposition among certain
classes of onr people to- enter cor
daily with their fellow-citizens into
these important primaries. On the
Icontrary, we find men talking
down the conventions and those
I'who take sufficient interest in the
| welfare Of the State and the sue
cess of the democratic party to
organize and attend them. We
hear the same old palaver about
| politicians, ward bummers and
i stocked mes$ings, and notice the
same disposition to stand aside
and let the politicians and ward
bummers stock and control the
conventions. I'll it be indeed true
that the class Of men referred to
control our politics, it Is more
solemnIy the duty of merchants
and other industrial classes to take
part In our public affairs to pre-
vent things from going to the bad.
Tt Is not creditable to them, how
ever rich they may be or however
high their social standing. to affirm
that the politics of the State are
being controlled by impure men,
and mt the same time to refuse to
aid good men in reforming the
party. We live in free country
where all men are voters, and the
men who attend meetings and con-
ventions, and do the party work.
are apt to make nominations to
suit themselves and those who
decline just and honorable share
OF the labor and responsibility,
have no right to censure. We do
not presume that there is any
class in the community so weak
and foolish as to suppose that the
working men are going 10 concede
them the privilege Of holding pri-
yate meetings in back parloEs and
private counting-rooms to dictate
the nominees for whom we are all
to walk up and vote. All this
twaddIe about politicians and
bummers is wrong. because ii is
idle; it will reform no evil aud ii
will accomplish no result. III any
man Is sufficiently interested in
the welfare of the State to sin
cerely desire a reform in its gov
ernment, let him act the part Of a
free man +; assume to discharge his
duties AZ citizen, and aid his fell
low-citizens in organizing the pri-
maries, and thus secure a conven-
tion which will nominate honest
and capable men to govern the
State.
When all classes of our commu-
nifty shall adopt this advice a bet
ter era will dawn upon rs our
people will understand each Other
better bummers viii be al dis
count, and the honest working
men will cooperate with the hon,
est mercantile aud other classes tC
nominate and elect 70 position oul
best, truest and ablest men.--[N N
10. Democrat.