The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1883-08-01
MACHINE POLITICS AND BOSSES

The honest masses Of the Demo
cratic party of Louisiana have mad
up their minds that they will n
longer submit to machine method
and the dictation Of bosses in the sc
lection of the candidates whom the
propose to entrnst with the admins
tration Of their State, payochial AM
municipal govern ments, for the fou
years following the general election
in April next. They demand AM
to have q return to the old time ant
bellum methods of selecting homes
and capable men to ill the impor
tant public trusts. Medioclity mus
be re'egated to the rear and intelli
gence, capacity and honesty brough
Ito the front. Those who contro
public affairs, like Caesars wife
should be not only pure, but abov
suspicion. The people are not op
posed to leadership in politics, bu
they are against men who assume Il
be leaders and who seek to make
their leadership successful by the u.s.
of patronage and the control of eau
causes, denying to the masses thu
right of private judgment, as regards
men. The machinery has heretofore
been used by the bosses to pack del
egations to conventions and the ma
jority being under the control of 8
few individuals the whole body was
virtually forced to obey taeir dlcta'
ton. Delegates had no choice bu,
follow their bosses, aud, boiled down
to fine point, handful of men has
assumed and exercised full control.
To maintain bossism public patron.
age has been prostituted and men in
search of official position, in order to
succeed have found it necessary to be-
come the slaves of the buses. In
voting al elections, of course, citizens
were free, but they we're only free TO
choose between the candidates pre-
sented by the bosses. III making
the nominations, in most instances,
of late years the people have had
practically nothing to do. 1t is to
repudiate and put under their feet
this pernicious system that the mass
es have determined to turn out 10 full
force at the mass meetings and phi
mary elections the coming fall and
make themselves both heard and
felt in the selection of the delegates
TO tue conventions which are to non
mate the candidates. Honorable DO
l'tical leadership differs altogether
from bossism. The man who has
the most talent, who is foremost in
,he knowledge Of public affairs, who
las the most skill in using bis gifts
md who with these requirements is
'onest, is the real political leader
md naturally steps to the front.
len of this character are not bosses
q any sense of that term, nor will
hey resort to machine methods to
tract a following. Real leaders do
OF need such aids. If they are cap
Bile of influencing public opinion they
'ill lead and the people will follow,
nd honors will be bestowed upon
hem without the seeking. 1t is to
ach leaders that the people will 10.
Turn 10 the next campaign.
he bosses and machine politicians
eed not lay the aattering junction to
,eir souls that no such leaders to be
'und. They abound all over the
tate, in every parish and the people
i'll single them out and bestow up. ,
D them the marks of their favor. ,
he future of the Democratic party
Louisiana depends not upon boss
}, so called, but upon an exhibition I
true craftsmanship that will shape 6
'blic policy for the best interests s
the people and give earnest by the {
'aracter of the candidates it places e
the field of true and genuine re. =
rm. To this end small men should i.
ep to the rear, and strong men, +
tn eyes single to the best interests J
the State should be ordered to the |,
'nt.-- Shreveport Standard. a
~~~>~->~oe~>>~> Fl
lax SALEs.--The act under which Il
sales are being made is much n
npler than any heretofore exist 6
!. No seizure or notice Of seizure p
required; no elaborate personal u
tices; nothing but the general no. y"
e in the newspaper. The adver. " y,
ement and the deed and registry h,
the sale are required to pass the a,
nership from the present to a new Ia
ner. Again, the new differs from n,
,Sed law hv OranfinO on ohs.l ao