St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-10-11
Local Versus National Politics.

There is no Disgusting the fact
that in the present campaign the
National Democracy has been much
embarrassed by causes whose oper-
alton would be properly confined to
State and municipal politics. In
certain States in which, even under
a Republican Federal administra-
ton, the control of public affairs
has fallen completely under the con-
troll of local Democratic organiza-
tons, there is widespread apprehen
sion that the success Of the Nation
al Democracy would throw both
State and Federal patronage into
the hands Of cliques and rings which
are already sufficiently powerful to
subvert the popular will. In Loui-
siana, for instance, it is believed by
many intelligent men, and by men,
too, who are good Democrats, that
the Democratic party has lost its
autonomy-that is to say, that it is
powerless to arrest or control the
action of its own machinery. Those
who are impressed with this view
are, therefore, naturally alarmed at
the prospect of a change which
might tend still further to strengthen
the political influence of the men
who have the management of that
machinery.
It is said every day on the streets
that if the ring in this State were
entrenched in the Custom-House,
and in all the post offices Of Louisi-
ana, it would be impossible to dis
lodge it, and that all hope of gov
ernmental reform in the State and
city would have to be indefinitely
deferred. It is very unfortunate
that this opinion should have be-
come 50 prevalent, and it is still
more unfortunate that there should
be SO much ground for it; but since
the situation is as it is, it seems to
US best that the facts should be dis
tinctly stated and fairly brought
home to the minds of those who are
most influential in the councils of
the National Democracy.
If it could be understood that the
men whose names are most promi-
nent as Democratic party managers
in this State by reason Of official
position, and by reason Of their
power over the party machinery,
are in reality the most dangerous
as sources of discord, dissension and
revolt, it might be that prudence, if
nothing else, would induce the ma
tional leaders of the Democracy SO
far as possible to discountenanee
and suppress them.
To put it little differently, and
to state the whole case in a nutshell,
what the Louisiana Democracy de-
mands Is that the National Democ-
racy should keep its hands off in
our local contests. If there could
be perfect assurance of that much,
there would be no further question
as to the strength Of the national
ticket here. And there is no reason
why it should not be so. There IS
no essential connection between the
issues of Federal politics and those
of State and municipal politics !;
why, then, should there be an inter
related system Of party machinery
reaching all the way down from a
seat in the United States Senate to
the presidency of q city ward club?
Plainly, by every reason of principle
and policy, there ought to be a
enforcement between local and ma
tional politics. Until that separa-
ton is made the national party will
continue to be hampered and en-
barrassed by causes really irrelevant
and remote.-N. 0. Picayune.