St. Landry democrat., 1884-01-26
HOLD THE FORT.

nl1lStfaGlOnlSLS, In6y WOutu nave Hdu
an easy victory at Baton Rouge; but
there was no organization, and no unity
in regard to gubernatorial candidate.
after Gen. Nichols refused to be one.
If he had been one from the beginning,
and exerted himself to obtain the
nomination, success would have been
certain. The Bayou Lafourche parishes
that went for Governor McEnery, could
I not have been taken from Gen. Nichols
if he had been a real candidate; and
4 as it was, after Gen. Nichols repeatedly
refused to be a candidate under any
circumstances, and after it was so an
| nonnced on the floor of the convention,
la change of about twenty votes in a
body of about four hundred, would
| have nominated him. This same ele-
ment of opposition to the administra-
ton, for reasons that have been re-
peatcdly given, remains intact, and
there is no reason why with proper
management they can not control the
Democratic nominations four years
hence. But to do so they must main
tain their alignment; they must have
as many and il possible more delegates
in the next convention than in the last.
They can not do this it they stay away
from the polls, or by throwing away
their votes on candidates who have no
earthly chance Of being elected. Let
| &I,aro knId +bn font anR ofri % 40 ,11o
vent the nomination of men who serve
monopolies and rich corporations rather
than their constituents. The State
ticket is not all one-sided, for the can
didate for attorney general is a most
determined foe of the rings and
monopolies, and his parish, Natchi-
toches, stands with him. He was in the
Senate during the past four years, aud
he served the people faithfully. He is
not liable to change, for he has been
tried and proved true. He will be with
the people against the bad elements,
in the next campaign. During the last
campaign all the State officials were ON
one side; so the anti-admif1istr
have gained something. They should
therefore poll a bigger vote for the
ticket recently nominated at Baton
Rouge, than they did for the preceding
one,so that they will be stronger, have
more delegates next time to assist in
the good cause of.defeating the candi-
dates put up for nomination by the
rings and monopolies and corruption
lists whose influence all patriotic citi-
zens should strive to destroy.
The ticket nominated BY the parish
convention does not exactly suit ms
but it was nominated fairly by the lar
gest, most harmonious and most repre-
sentative Democratic convention that
we ever saw assembled in 0pelousas.
In nearly all the wards there were con-
tests in the primary elections, and in |
one precinct entitled to one delegate |
there was tie; yetina convention of
one hundred and forty three delegates
all we're present, a few by proxy, andl
there were no contested seats, In fact, |
no committee on credentials was ap-
pointed ;lfOT all were satisfied that the |
delegates returned had been properly
elected, and no one offered to contest.
The Eote at the primaries was large,
and the entire party was represented. |
The ticket is not one-sided, all elements
are represented on it. We would like |
to seeit changed a little, but that is
impossible without another convention.
The convention in certain respects was
nearly equally divided, and there were
about as many defeated on one side as1
on the other. Some who were defeatedI
by a mere scratch, showed SO muchl
solid strength that they can not afford
to throWit away; Wi4h good manage
ment it will carry them to success in
the next.campaign. /
Many politicians go iinto political par
ties and seize upon the machinery of
the same, in order to accomplish their
own selfish ends; there are plenty Of
such in the Democratic party, and we
want to see them deprived Of power.
This party has control Of affairs in this
State, and the better clement should
not desert it and abandon it to tile cor
rupt politicians. If these politicians
have both the party machinery and
he manipulation of the election
nachinery entirely under their control,
hey can not be defeated. Some Of
hem here and elsewhere have been
.niIed even IN fhis aanf1aitsr,4. saS,d IN