St. Landry democrat., 1891-12-12
A Reunited Democracy.
Baton Rouge Advocate

''toh hoAtSt iuNNt2tt.
Id reply to d communication from an
ahtl-l0ttery correspondent, writing from
last felIclana parish, the New Orleans
States touches on a subject Which is of
growing interest, i'll view of the near
approach OF , the State nominating cou-
Ventlon. The correspondent saws if is
now apparent that the McEnery peon|e
! VIII control the convention, and he
| Wains the States that it such is the case,
| the DUTY devolves on the majority to see
that the minority have a fair reprcsen-
tatlon on the State ticket. Otherwise.
ne say S the Integrity OF the democratic
party will Ge threatened, and there NAV
even be Il fatal disruption, with two
conventions and two hostile tickets in
the field. The correspondent ayers
that he makes the demand not as a
threat, but In tDe Interest Of harmony,
with the sole object Of preserving the
State.
The States makes tempeyate and
Ible reply, outlining a policy which
Will be generally concurred in by its
friends. 1t says:
When the equitable lights of the minority
shall come up for consideration, we think that
tne voting strength Of each minority faction
SHOULD SHOULD pe tIe sole controlling measure Of recog-
hltleh. Right here, we note that our cores
pondent mas entirely overlooked the possible
claims OF any democrat who belongs to the
farmers alliance.
Though we are Cnpnscd to the farmers, a11i |
nhce. as a body, and SO far especially. as they |
arc bound by the 0cala platform, yet we do |!
a9feosnize Inc fact that majority of them have
always aVoWed the staunchest democratic fc. |
ATTY, and they continue to do so. We believe
tnat they were suddenly msled into running
tdter an lnposslbllIty, but that they dem
ocrats at heart. They compose, in our mind,
at least four tlfths Of the minority, and should
receive recognition. We believe that in select
ing the State officers, that if three positions are
given to the minority, two Of these three should
go to the Farmers alliance democrats of the
State of Louisiana.
We believe that the ticket should be made up.
as 4! we sald before. of democrats, regardless Of
their views on any question outside and apart |
from pure State issues
The Advocate takes this view of the
matter. The minority should have gem
erous representation on the State ticket
more than was accorded to lis when
we were minority in 1883. The basis
ot distribution suggested by the States
s equitable and fair The farmers al
lance is entitled to two good places on
lie ticket, not only on account of their
comparative strength, but for the rea-
ION that the order represents the bone
md siuew of our people, an important
interest which must not he ignored, as
matter of justice and right. AS long
Is the farmers alliance was struggling
or political supremacy in the State by
he election of its candidate for COVER
lor, thus threatening tue safety and in-
egrity of the democratic party, tue Ad-
'ocate was opposed to its plans. But
!! hen 1t comes to recognition of its ,
light to participate in the State govern
nent as an integral part of the demo-
racy, it is quite different matter If
Wo important interests of the State
overnment-its finances and the edu- .
alton OF our youth-are entrusted to q
he, farmers by concediDg these
, their care and supervision, it will be
just recognition, and no man, whose
emocracy is broad enough to embrace
IL factions of his party, will deny it to
lem. y
In the State convention there must
Q no dead line" " between pro and anti
: farmers alliance. It will be demo <
ATTIC convention, and not an assem- =
age OF warning factions. The ticket
lould represent this idea, and the next
tate administration must rebuke by it's L
It's the narrow and partisan policy
hich has brought the Nichols regime
to contempt.