St. Landry democrat., 1884-02-09
EpICAYUNE,1

[PIcAYUNE.
1 The Lonisian Bugle Call, edited by
Andre L. Roman, is boldly attacking
the ticket nominated at Baton Rouge
| The issue Of Jan. 30 has slashing editO.
rails in both French and English. We
extract:
That most estimable journal, the
st. Landry Democrat, which stood
bravely and faithfully with us, and
ahead of us in the opposition to Nc
Emery precious to the Baton Rouge
/ Convention, is now of opinion that We
must abide by the result, hold the
fort and renew the fight four years
hence.
"Our confrere discountenances the
position taken by the Webster Tribune.
which is ours also, and says that a
/ bolt should have been made at Baton
Rouge, and not after the adjournment
/ of the convention.
| Because one grave error was com,
mitted, is it necessary to heap a second
| blunder on top of the first by silently
acquiesing in the palpable fraud perpe-
trated at Baton Rouge"
That opposition was to the nomina-
ton of McEnery, but he was nomina-
ted after contest in the parishes, and
with every parish fully represented at
the convention. The delegates who
represented the opposition to McEnery
were not Instructed to bolt if he was
nominated, and they did not see fit to
do it without instructions. Since the
nomination only two country papers so
far have come out in opposition to the
ticket; their opposition can not affect
the result. 1t is doubtful il McEnery
or the Democratic ticket will have any
opposition if the Republicans should
put out ticket, the opposition will be
merely nominal. The opposition to
McEnery could not defeat him in con-
vention; how can he be defeated in
the election held under the laws or le-
gal machinery specially provided by
the administration for emergencies |?
We do not believe the power or intlu-
ences that control the State govern
ment will scruple to do anything neees-
sary to give the ticket they favor a safe
landing. Desultory opposition will
amount to nothing, but mere waste of
strength. Every Democrat who fails
to vote for McEnery, will just weaken
to that extent the opposition to the in
tiuences that nominated him, when an
other campaign begins. McEnery for
Governor is a fixed fact; all that re-
mains to be done in the present cam
paign is to elect men to the legislature
who will repeal bad laws and enact
good ones. Ii the Democrats of the
parishes of Webster and st. James,
where the Webster Tribune and Bugle
Call are published, should fail to vote
for McEnery, they may have no dele
gates in the next State convention, and
the practical opposition to ring and
monopoly rule will be reduced to that
extent. The opposition to the admin
istration should not abandon its van
tage ground it comprises majority
of the Democratic voters, and though
it may have been defeated in the cam
paign for the nomination by sharp
practice, II 1T stays together, remains
intact, it will gain more strength by the
next campaign and be overwhelming.
To refrain from voting the ticket nomi-
mated at Baton Rouge, would be prac-
teal abandonment of the Democratic
party to that class which the Tribune
and Bugle Call so strongly condemn.
This class must first be rooted out of
the party before the State Government |
can be purified; for the Democratic
party puts in power the weak and bad
men who serve the rings, monied corpo-
monopolists, etc, rather than
their constituents. The good men in
the party have this duty TO perform,
ind they cannot do it it they practically
abandon the party.
The City Item complains of the