The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1891-08-19
SLAUGHTERED IN THE HOUSE OF
THEIR FR1gNDs.

WOult SUU NpiCl VI ~ III odi oih
ing with professional politicians, who
are not overburdened with conscien-
tons scruples, but, on the contrary,
have been impregnated with the je-
suitical doctrine of Senator White,
that the end ever juatifies the means.
So the outcome of the dicker at
Lafayette has surprised no intelligent
looker-on. Outside the Alliance, the
anti-lotteryites in the State would not
constitute a respectable corporaPs
guard. Gov. Nichols and his little
band, who followed him simply for
the spells that might fall into their
otherwise empty platter, bad so far
forfeited the confidence and even res
pect of the masses of the people that
their power and Influence in the State
was absolutely ail. Fully realizing
this, he-or rather they, for our hon
ored Executive is no more than pup
pet at the end of the string pulled by
the operator behind the curtain, or a
piece of putty in the hands of the gla-
zier-went to work to devise a plan
by which the Alliance, which order
embraces the great majority OF the
Anti voters, might he captured. Al
though tho astute junior Senator de-
MES any knowledge of or participation
in the preparation of the dip for
the capture of the farmers, the country
knows how to value bis reservations
and are prepared to accept as true the
charge that the net in question, with
its artistically devised meshes, was
woven in the junior Senator'S back
office during the interval between the
conference of the politicians and the
farmers at Alexandra and the snbse-
guent one at Lafayette, where the net
was so sEillfully and successfully
cast into the political waters.
Strictly speaking, this now famous,
or the reverse, conference and dicker
was no funeral of the true and inter
rfed Democracy of the State. New.
ertheless they claim the right to COM
ment upon it.
1t is said that at least some of the
politicians, sent as ministers plenipo-
Tertiary to Lafayette, put aside their
"biled shirts" and "store clothes" for
the nonce and appeared in hayseed
apparel, the better to circumvent the
honest farmers. "Look at MS; don't
you see we are not only with but of
YOUR And the ruse succeeded. The
leaders of the Alliance knew full we'll
what they were doing, but the mass of
the delegates were beguiled to their
own undoing. They are betrayed
into an alliance with the politicians by
which they surrender the very princi-
Piles upon which their order is based !;
and, too, place themselves as mendi-
cauts at the door of the finance COM
nittee of the politicians, who will dole
out to them at their own sweet will
Doodle secured by Senator White
from the Mexican lottery company,
the Whitney bank, which is playing
to retain tile financial agency of the
State, and other questionable sources
This is humiliating position indeed
for the "indepeudent farmers" to oc-
cupv. Will the vafions Parish Unions
consent to this by endorsing the nnau-
thorized action of their delegates?
The indications are that there is
detection all along the line. What.
ever we may think of Guce's political
eccentricities, there is no question but
he is the best posted and most effec-
tive speaker in the Alliance ranks.
He realizes that the principles of the
order were bartered away fer the prom
Use of Doodle at the Lafayette conven-
ton, and holds President Adams
mainly responsible for the humiiia.
ting dicker; aud if one reads he,
tween the lines be will be pretty apt
to reach the conclusion that majority
of Alliance men think precisely as
/ Guice does.
The City ITEM, of late date, give:
the result of an interview with sugar
planter of the Teche, who takes nc
active part in politics and probably
on that account had exceptional op
poTtupities Of ascertainiDg the feel
ings of the farmers on this question
He is of opinion that the disaGect'or
in the ranks of the Farmers Uniol
is much deeper, wider and stronge
than annears ON the surface and t,