St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1890-12-13
REPUBLICANS DICTATING DEMO.
CRATIC POLICY.
New Delta.

CRATIC POLICY.
New Delta
The now famous letter of the secre-
tary OF the Progressive League" or,
as that gentleman denominates it in
that letter, the LOTTERY League" has
created sensation throughout the
State. The opponents Of the lottery
have been charging, since the incep-
ton Of the fight, that the lottery in
terfered in, and proposed to dominate,
the politics of the State. That the
control of State affairs was necessary
to the lottery, as it was rendered inn
perative by self-preseryation, for the
same power which created could, and
if untrammeled by the lottery would,
destroy. That even apart from this
consideration, the love of exercising
power (Which every one has in his
breast when he possesses that power)
would cause it to dictate the policy of
the State, for no one who possessed
power ever let it lay dormant. All of
this was strenuously, even indignantly,
denied by the lottery, its advocates
and newspapers. Its street takers
stood on the curbstones and .pooh-
pooh-ed" it. Its newspapers publish
ed columns of twaddle on the subject,
which deceived no one, not even them
selves. According to the subsidized
press, the great and philanthropic
gamblers had no desire or intention to
enter politics, or to interfere in the
slightest degree with the govern
nent of the State or the choice of
officers.
But now comes the Progressive
League" alias the Lottery League"
lself-styled), and through its secretary
"gives the snap away" Even the glib
bering idiot has ceased to deny that
the Lottery League was organized by,
for and of the lottery. It's organizers
we're men who either had been active
in pushing the bill through the Legis-
lature, or connected with or related to
men currently charged, without denial,
with being directly interested in the
proposed new charter. Its expenses
are undoubtedly paid out of lottery
funds, for this charge has been repeat
edly made without a denial. It's work
is directly in the interest of the lottery
and the men who are concerned in it.
All Of this has long ago convinced the
people that the so-called Progressive
League" (which according to the
secretary has changed its name to the
Lottery League was nothing more
nor less than the lottery's "literary
bureau" and therefore that it, through
its officers, spoke ex cathedra. Hearken
them to what the lottery proposes to
do. The secretary in his celebrated
letter to DIR. Kelly says:
We intend to submit the lottery amend
ment to the Democratic State convention,
and if it is Endorsed there, the ants will
shaYS n support5it at the General election
bolt the palty their leaders
cauliat NJ slssis IS
This is al open g % v yosgaj that
the lottery company, organized for the
benefit of the Republicans, Baldwin,
Herwig and Pinchback, and Morris,
who is neither Democrat nor Repub-
lican, according to his own testimony,
proposes to control the next Demo-
cratic State convention and dictate its
platform. This gambling game, run,
owned and controlled by and for aliens,
non-residents and Republicans, pro-
poses to dictate to Democratic voters
of Louisiana or else drive them out OF
their party. And if it is able to carry
out its programme, we shall see T. +.
Herwig, the chairman of the Repub-
lican State central committee, at
tempting to drive John S. Lanier, the
chairman of the Democratic State
central committee, out OF the Demo-
cratic party, and P. B. s. Pinchback,
the negro Republican politician,
cracking the whip and debating DEM
ocratic policy to Frank P. stubbs,
Thos. F. Bell, Edward Booth and Don
Caffery, the Nestors of Louisiana DEM
ocracy.
But, perhaps, even in the face OF the
fact that the "league" is the lottery
and the lottery is the ''league," it may
be denied that by "we" the secretary
meant the lottery. It may be assert
ed that this 1--WE" designates the "Pro-
gressiye League" alias the Lottery
League, and its members. Such a
shallow pretense would deceive no one.
But granting that this subterfuge was
true and that the secretary meant the
members Of the league when he said
"we," leaves them in no better posi-
ton. If it is the league that proposes
| to do all this, we want to know if the
Republican members of that league
propose to take part in this dictation
to Democrats Of a Democratic policy?
| We desire to understand if these Re
publican members of this gamblers
club propose to assist in putting a
plank in a Democratic platform and
forcing Democrats to support it OF
quit the party? They cannot deny
that their league admits Republicans
Not only does its constitution pro.
vide for their admission when il
says
| MEMBERSHIP.
| SRcr1oS l. ALI white citizens Of good
moral character shall be eligible to mem.
bership in this organiztiaon, except em
ployes OF lotteries
but the test has been actually made
and Republicans admitted. On Sat.
urday, Aug. 20, 1890, Mr.. Robert s
Day, the president of the Lotter,
League $50 it calls itself, was in the
! town Of Franklin, in the parish Of St
Mary, on an official visit in his capa
city as chief engineer of the lottery's
side show, organizing branch OF the
so-called Progressive League" A
prominent and influential leading Re
! publican OF st. Mary applied for ad