St. Landry democrat., 1884-01-26
Republican Policy.
Donaldsonyille Chief.

A meeting of the Republican State
| Central Committee has been called fol
! Wednesday next, the 10th inst, pre-.
4 sumably for the purpose of determining
/ the policy to be pursued by the Republi.
can party in the pending State cam.
| paign-that is to say, to decide whether
State ticket shall be placed in the field
or the Democratic candidates permitted
to walk over the course without Opposi-
ton.
We think it is the general opinion OF
Republicans in this parish and section
that convention should be called and
a ticket nominated, and the Chief is in
clined to favor this policy. Ii a good
set of candidates should be selected we
believe they would not only have the
earnest backing OF all the available Re-
publican strength in the State, but
would also receive the passive if not
active support of a large number of
Conservatives and Democrats who were
allied with the anti-administratiOn fac
tion of their party and who are 10th to
| lend their aid to the election of nomi-
nees whose success implies continu-
ance of the evils against which the OPP
pOnents of the present Democratic adj
ministratiOn made such a warm but I'M
availing struggle.
At all events, there ought to be two
parties in every State and no political
organization should be permitted to
hold imperial sway over public affairs
| without even a pretense Of opposition.
The bad results that will inevitably flow
from such condition Of the body poll
tic are too patent to the rejecting mind
and have been often exemplified in his
tory to require more than passing re-
ference at our hands. The tendency of
every party with unlimited and undis-
puted power is towards corruption, op-
preston and misrule, and where the
better elements Of dominant Organiza-
cation find that they are unable to ac-
complish reform within its ranks-that
the machine has grown too strong
and insolent to be successfully attacked
by ordinary methods-their only tangi-
BILE hope of attaining their patriotic de-
sires lies ia giving their countenance
and aid to the ticl0st of the opposing
party. As the Republicans of New
York and Pennsylvania smashed the
autocratic and obnoxious machines Of
the party in those States by voting for
Democratic candidates, so can Louisi-
ana Democrats attain similar result
in this State, if they so desire, by throw
ing their ballots for Republican nomi-.
nees.
OF course the personnel of the ticket
must be a guaranty that its success will
entail no injury upon the State. but that
point we reserve for discussion further
on. The first thing to do is to provide
the prelimindries essential to the form
alton of a ticket, and we shall not be
sorry to learn that the State committee
has decided to undertake this work.
The Republicans of Louisiana can not
hope to maintain party organization
worthy name if they permit election af-
ter election to go by default-such a
policy will dishearten and demoralize
their voters, and if carried too far win
end in total disruption and dissolution.
They now have an opportunity not on
" to revive the interest of their imme-
diate political adherents, but to test the. |
sincerity of thousands of Democrats
who have declared unalteFable opposi-
tion to the mea and methods that have
obtained supremacy in the dominant
party of our State.