St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-09-13
Getting Pledges.
n. o. TImcs-Democrat, Sent. >.


The Progressive League, at its meet
ing last night, urged the voters of thu
State not to make or sign at this time
pledges of how they will vote at the
next election on the lottery revenue
proposition, bnt to first hear all the II.
guments presented by both sides in the
campaign which will be carried on dur.
ing the next two years, and then vote
as they think is for the interest and
honor of Louisiana.
Ihe resolution reads as follows:
Whereas, it is reported that certain mem
| bers OF he Anti-Lottery League are now seek
| ing to pledge to their cause and to vote with
| them those citizens of the State of Louisiana
| who have as yet heard only one side of this
allllnportant question; and, whereas in the
interest of good government and of all voters
We believe it TO be a duty to protest against
| such unusual and undemocratic conduct :
| be it
| Resolved, That we urge upon every voter
| nf the State of Louisiana to preserve his no.
| itlcal freedom and to form his opinions only
after mature deliheratron and hearing all that
! IS 10 be said to the end that when tho Gay of
election comes he may 60 TO the polls and
vote tearIessIy and nantnlly for or against
the proposed charter according to his honest
aud enlightened convictions.
This is good Democratic doctrine.
The pledges which the Ants are DOW
trying to wiring from the voters arc con
ttsSlous of weakness and show distrust
Of the people. They are afraid to trust
them, and consequently seek to get in
advance through personal influences on
their part or the thoughtlessness of
those who sign their papers. pledges to
vote against the lottery revenue pro-
position. They played this trick on
members of the late Legislature, whom
they attempted to bind 10 advance be-
fore the lottery matter had been dis
cussed, before Il siDgle word pro or con
had been said about it; and when cer-
tain Legislators found that they had
been tiicked with this pledge, aud that
the proposition as it came before them
was one they thought ought to be sub
mltted to the people, the Antis de-
nouDced them in the most violent man
npr.
They are now trying to play the same
trick on the people. They know that
the average man is weak about signing
petitions, pledges, etc. and that when
one is presented to him and strongly
pressed by personal friend he far too
often signs his name or gives il pledge !
to regret atteiward that he has let
himself be entrapped and thus bound |
himself
The cause is week indeed and con-
fesses its weakness when it endeavors |
TO prevent full discussion of any ones |
ton. The Antls are evidently afraid |
that full discussion of the lottery
amendment will win over the people to
It's support, and they are. therefore, en-
teavoring to secure a pledge of their
votes in advance.
The election is two years oft. The
over this issue promises to
Re long and exhaustive one, cam
1aign of arguments and facts-and
hese are what the Ants are afraid of
Don't listen to arguments" they say.
Don't hear any discussion at all of the
but pledge us Your vote
light now, before you have heard the
'ther side. We are afraid that if you
lear them you will not pledge your
'ote, and We want your promise now"
A citizen should always reserve the
ight to vote as be chooses, and az he
links best. 1t is above all mistake
o pledge himself two years ahead, and
urreDdrr his own Judgment to others.
% those who come to him now with
equests for q pledge, let him answer
1 will vote according to my best ,judg-
lent after hearing all that both sides
ave to say on this subject, and after
'eighing it thoroughly. | am not Civ
'g my vote away now as Il pledge to
ny one. can take care of it as we'll
y You. | can be trusted to vote right
nd to the best interests of the State.
will not put myself in your power, or
lrrender myself to you. l will give
0 other pledge than this: That two
EARS from now I will vote on the ques.
on as think best for louisiana"
Every move, so far, of these latter day
urists, goes to show that they are un-
Hing to trust the masses of the people
that they have no confidence in them,
left unpledged. They begin with the
that themselves are exem-
ars, and therefore entitled to thiuk
r, anG chaperone the Democratic par
]. Fellow citizens, when were they
ected by you, to otficiate as the sole ex-
'nents of Democracy When did you
t them apart as the elect to teach mo-
lity in politics? Are you willing to
lmbly submit to their dictation and
so doing abandon your right of
ought? This is just what they wish
II to do. T.
Now all we ask is that voters will de- e1
le nothing before they have heard 5
th sides. We have something to say,
lich it is thought, will strongly COM ir
end itself to your reflection and ap-
oval. No one can claim to be fair, or
en- rational, who decides before he
ars, and having decided ,ciH not hear.
le charges contained in the foregoing
,icle taken from the I'D. of the 2d =.
It. can truthfully be laid at the door 81
the leading anti-lotteryites in St. W
ndry for they have been eager and OF
sty. ~