The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1888-02-18
1HE RING POWER IN THE STATE
i xxECtTTvR C0MA11TEE.

For threesweeks past Il hnabeen p 4
81 Is the entire community that ser i
Ain leaders 81 the riog were arranging
nd preparing ! rod (by vulgar minds
tmIght be called 4 tricky with which q
o bring 10 punishment and to humtH-
Ito the fearless white voters Of our
parish.
AT last tsthe mountain has labored
and brought forth mouse. =
The two ring members OF the State |
Executive Committee, with the assist-
ance ofa few congenial souls. have dee
II, and have by a simple reso-
luton induced that committee +, ate
tempt the foolish thing Of ruling out Of
the Democratic party the anti.riog vo-
tiers Of Ouachiia unless they uncondt
tionally submit to ring dictation. We
congratulate the member at large thai
at least he had the modesty to refrain
from making his charges and develop
Ing his plans in public, but availed
hImseIi Of the last resort of an aststs
politician, BY calling for sscrst session,
40 that he might sswash the dirty lin
en- OF our parish affairs in the dark.
To understand the true position OF
afIaIrs We must refer to the history Of
recent events.
It Is well Known that for several
years past the people Of Ouachita have
lbeen ruled and os,racised In their po-
]litical rights by a few individuals
lkuown and recognized as the "Ring."
That .h1pbasis OF this power Is estab-
lllshed on the one fact, that by forcing
the votes OF the negroes on some eight
or ten plantations. they eau disregard
and over-rvle the wishes and votes OF
every other man in the parish. That
lin September, 1888, these few gentle
men had q dinner-party which was
know as the 1Pargoud meeting" in
which, by arrangement. bargain and
agreement, every Office 10 the parish
was fixed and established, and every
item Of the agreement was carried out
Except us to the legislator, who was
subsequently changed TO suit the wishes
OF the pleading spirit of the move" rs
4 The pretended Democratic conven-
ton Of 1884, called pro tornaa, to carry
out the views OF the s.Pargoud meet
iug' had no representation from sew
eral wardi.
NPn 1-RvNf Snn
r was carried out 10 the letter.
70 continue themselves in powe
they established an executive commit
J tee on basis opposed to every Demo
, cratic usage and principle. {
!. EARLY in 1887. nearly twelve month
befofe the election, these same partie
composing the "ring" met, selsctet
3 and arranged their officers for 1888
9 regardless again of the will or wishe
of the people OF Ouachita outside Q
their own "closed corporation" Thi
arrangement was a matter openly an
: publicly known. To carry out thei
u pl ans they made use Of the irregula
and illegal executive committe M
pointed In 1884. In the meantime
petition signed by nearly seven hun
dred Of the white voters of Ouachit
n was ready to be presented to membs
y of the bar, praying him to become
a candidate for Judge Of the 5.h distrlc
: Before the presentation Of this petttio
the gentleman TO whom the ring Hu
gicen the position Of sheriff, uufortr
. nately died. A new combination ha
to be made. The "Chief Great Worker
'fof the ring, on account of his pow
:. und In fiuence, was substituted in pla,
of the deceased, his near relation,
the candidate for sheriff, with the fu
understanding that he did not need Il
~ Office, did not desire 1t for himself ar
would not exercise the duties of
~ but would allow himself to be elec.e
q and would "farm itout" to the be
u interest of tue ring.aud its followers.
= AT the request Of the party to who
;" the petition for judgship was address
the petition was never presented.
The chairman of the pretended exc
NJ utfve committee called meeting to ,
o. range the State and parish campaig
.. A petition signed by nearly five hu
s. dred white voters was prepared al
y presented t. the COMMITTEES when it ;
"a semb!ed.