St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-12-01

State convention themselves. Thus is
McEaery to be nominated by the ring
and not by the delegates Of the people.
In some parishes where the sentiment
is against him,rf the committees have
been secured, % mass meeting is sud
denly called to elect delegates, and they
are packed, sometimes by people not
residents, as in Madison parish.
When the committee cannot be trust
ed, and the president of it is all right,
he issues a call for mass meeting, or
for an election by wards, directly for
delegates to the State Convention. as
suits best the e2igencies OF the case,
without holding a parish convention.
Our own parish is a notable exception,
but in most OF the parishes the appoint
ees OF the State government are hard at
work to perpetuate it; and in one par
ish the poliee.jary appointed by him,
actually nominated him for reelection.
The iniquitons election law has al
ready been thoroughly exposed i'll these
colamns and with it and the other
corrupt agencies which are sedlliousiy
at work for the rings that now control
the politics and finances OF this State,
they could elect the king of the canni-
bal islands governor OF Louisiana. it
the people do not bestir themselves to
prevent it.
I { z - :
The Shreveport Democrat, speaking
of the Madison parish affair, says:
But the most significant part of the
proceedings of this meeting remains to
be related. The McEnery men bolt tho
regular Democratic meeting in the first
parisl, in which one is held. For months
the administration organs elsewhere,
echoed by their imitatorin Shreveport,
have been prating about the contem-
plated bolt of the regular Democrats
from the McEnery party. We have
charged that they were Matching Il bolt
themselves and were endeavoripg to
cover up their tracks. Every step they
take but confirms this view. Their
members Of the State Central Commit
tee at New Orleans laid their plans to
cause split, but did not lay them deep
enough and hence failed. Their bull
lOzers in Madison came over from Me-
Enery's own parish, the only parish he
can claim with certainty, with the inten-
ton of either controlling Or breaking up
the Democratic meeting, They were
not allowed to vote. in retiring they
carried with them the Madison Mem
eryites and held their lottery meeting.
1t is this meeting which they herald
forth as an endorsement OF MGEnery.
frSI an or
tation Of the Madison game, as it has
been arranged for all the parishes at
Headquarters. The McEnery men are
either to bolt or to outrage and ride over
the regular Democratic meetings. Then
they are to send forth false dispatches
announcing McEnery victories. Like
the illustrious Zach Chandler, they will
"claim everything" Bat the people
are watching.
The Donaldsonville Chief in speak
ing of the newspapers that have jumped
the reform track has this to say OF the
Alexandria weeklies
"The Alexandria State Central TX
press and Democrat have both declared
for McEnery since the withdrawal of
Judge Jetfries. The course of the Ex-
press occasions no special comment,
but that of the Democrat is surprising
and inexplicable. No Journal IN the
State had evinced more determined or
bitter opposition to the Governors re-
enough of the McEnery family and that
they should all be retired from Office as
unworthy OF further confidence, and the
impression we gained from the utter
ances of the Democrat was that it
would refuse to favar McEnery even ii
he should receive the Democratic nom
nation. We do not presume to impugn
the motives OF our contemporary, but
in view of the methods being employed
to influence public opinion in behalf of
the administration, it is inevitable that
such radical change of front should
excite suspicion"
What the Democratic party most
needs in Louisiana is an earnest dispo-
sition to pull together. Heretofore we
have been comparatively very free from
factions. Office seekers have stood in
each others way to some extent necessa-
fily. but the people have chosen to use
these men as their servants, and not to
fellow them in their ambitions. We
should have no factions among our peo-
pie, but all come together, ais political
ways having regard for the honesty and
OF the party, and then work
for success and victory as one man.
Let corruption be banished from the
State. and seek to purify affairs and the
administration of the laws by electing
men TO Office who have no i'll SAVIOR
about them. Booster Banner.
The .Times-Democrat says that 149
men swear that they are majority of
the registered voters of Madison parish |