The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1884-03-29
DEMOCRATIC DIFFERENCES.

!, ]
q Review of the Split in the Democracy
of East BATON Rouge.
BATog RouaE, March is, 1884.
DEAR CHfEF:
You have evidently seen much in the
Baton Rouge papers about the political
complications in the Democratic party of
East Baton Rouge parish, both sides claim
ing to be the only true Democracy of the
parish, until at last one side has acquired
the appellation of Bob TAILS, and the
other "Soap Tails" believe you to be
fair-minded and liberal in your views, and
Twill state this case to you as disinter-
ested party and would like to have your
editorial opinion as to who is correct and
who is not. The Democratic party Of East
Baton Rouge had parish central COM
mittee with w. G. Randolph as chairman
part of the time, which has been holding
over for some three or four years, COM
posed Of ten members, one from each ward.
This committee has been acknowledged,
recognized and obeyed as the legal head of
the Democratic party. Some months ago
the party became divided into two factions
known as the Administration ring faction
and the nti-Administration faction. The
parish central committee became likewise
divided, four members adhering to the Ad-
ministration and six to the anti-Adminis-
tration faction. Mr.. Randolph called a
primary election for delegates to the State
convention for the nomination of the State
ticket The call vas responded to by the
entire party. In making the returns the
central committee refused to count the
Baton Rouge wards and threw out some 500
votes on account of corruption perpetrated
pit the polls. Appeal was had to the State
convention and the action Of the central
committee reversed. The nominations for
State officers were made and the anti-Ad
ministrationists quietly submitted to the
sight-to-seven Electoral Commission pre-
cedent.
About the LIST of January number of
Democrats took it into their heads that Mr..
Randolph should call meeting of the cen
trail committee forthwith, for a specific
purpose. which he refused to do, stating
that he had no right to call the committee
together and dictate their duties, but he
would call them together on the 9th of |
February to transact important business, |
which was for nothing more nor less than
the selection of representative on the |
State central committee. This did not
suit the gentleman above referred to, so
they prevailed ON four of the members to
secede and call a convention, which was
done. Mr.. Randolph, the chairman, called
upou the people to pay no attention to this
act OF secession and usurpation. By drum
ming around pretty lively, however, they
got up so-called convention, selected a
central committee of their own and dele
gated J. I. Young as representative to
the State central committee. Mr.. Randolph
and the other members of the central COM
mittee met on the 9Th of February, ex-
PEELED the four obstreperous and seeding
members and delegated Lindsay Beale as
q representative on the State central COM
mittee. Without the merits of the case be-
fore them the State central committee
seated Mr.. Young.
Mr.. Randolph then called for mass
meeting for the selection of delegates to
parish convention to make nominations
for district and parish offices. These mass
meetings we're held on the LIST of March
and the convention assembled at Pixies
Hall, in Baton Rouge, on the 3rd and nom
mated district and parish officers and Sc
|ected new central committee, with J. A.
Blouin chairman and l.. w. Conerly Sec
rotary. The other factions central COM
mittee has L. 2. Reynaud for chairman
and Oscar Arbour, secretary. The Rey-
Maud faction claim that they are the
legitimate head Of the party because the .
State central committee seated j. T. Young
as representative of the Democracy of the
parish, while the Blouin faction claim that
hey are the legitimate head of the party, !
because they stuck to the old head of the r
concern and that the other faction are Sc
,essionlsts, boilers and revolutionists. The
Reynaud faction is supported by the Capi-
otiaa-A duocqte, whose chief editor is the
Of the State central committee
The Blouin or Randolph faction is SUD-
ported by the Truth and the weekly Dis
latch, all Democratic papers. On the 18th :
nst, the Republican party held conven-
ion in Potts Hall, in Baton Rouge, and :
lecided not to put out parish ticket
They spurned and repudiated what they
ermed the Bourbon Democracy, headed by
Zen. Jastremski, L. F.. Reynaud, I. s.
Jones, DR.. Burlington and others, and in t
iorsed and pledged their support to the q
ticket nominated by the Pixies Hall con- g
,ention on the 3rd of March, known bv
hem as the Sheriff Bates faction, headed
y John Fisher for Senator, CHARLES X. |
Anowlton and Edward Davis for Repre-
entatives. This, believe is clear state
nent OF the case upon which I ask your 4
unbiased editorial opinion as to which Won
would consider the legitimate head of the
'arty in the parish of East Baton Rouge
to all party usages.
The Reynaud faction used every effort
hey could bring to bear to secure the sup 4
'ort OF the Republican party, and it can be =
proved that they paid we'll for aid in trying !,
o secure Republican ticket in the field, y
ome of them declaring that they would
ather see Republican ticket elected than d
he success Of the Bates ticket. But the
Republican convention repudiated them I
nd Endorsed the Bates ticket, and the ac- IL
ion of the Republican convention is being
atifed by enthusiastic meetings all over
he parish. do not wish to forestall your !
opinion or Judgment in the premises, but I
ak how is it that the editor of the Gapi- y
who is chairman of the II
tate central committee of the Democratic y
'arty, can countenance and give SUPPORT to
boiling, secession, revolutionary move
nent in party Of which he is the acknowi- r
dyed head? The Capitolian- A rocute -
ases its argument upon the sunnositinn |