The Opelousas courier., 1891-05-16
OPELOUsAs PARISH OF ST LANDRY, LA, MAY Is, 1891.
"Eiring the Southern Heart"
LoniEiana RaYieW.

Louisiana Review.
A question of far greater Importance
than any other is going to be fought
out in Louisiana, this coming political
campaign. That is, the right Of the
citizen to vote just as he pleases at the
primaries or the election, without be-
ing subjected to villifieation and t.
threats Of the shotgun.
Of late years, this abuse has grown
from bad to worse and, during the lasl
campaign, it seemed as If Asia Minor
had turDed loose all its bowling
derVishes upon Louisiana. Vlitcation
knew no bounds, and bad blood was
engendered to such a degree that riot
ing was barely averted.
All this was done ostensibly to give
the people Reform government.
Now, after it has been thoroughly test.
ed, the name is legion of the good peo
Pile who, knowingly, couldn't be work
ed up to the pitch Of making such
another fight as they made four years
ago, to prolong the lease of power of
quite q number of present ineum'
beuts.
As the Reform card cannot be sue
cessfully played twice in succession,
some other slogan had to be raised by
the Reform cbieftains who reaped the
fl nits of the last frey campaign. The
lottery question, about which they had
absolutely nothing to say when the
Legislature that was to pass upon 1t
was being chosen, offered the only
theme with which an excitement could
again be raised for the next cam
paign.
How it has been utilized Thus far to
''hre the Southern heart," is we'll
known to our readers. Had the Re
form leaders succeeded In their des.
perate efforts to keep this question
from going to the people for fnal
solu ton, they could then have urged
upon the people opposed to the re-
chartering, the necessity of a rally
upon that issue to prevent the election
of Legislature favorable to consti,
tutional convention Or to the repassage
of the lottery amendment, and Of &
Governor in accord with such Legis
lature.
Now, a moments reflection will dis
close clearly the fact that since the lot
terry question goes directly to tbs
people for final action at the polls
there is no good reason why thi'
question should influence the nomina
ton or election of the next State, par
ochial or municipal officers.
Properly viewed in that connection
the lottery question is but false issue
and the people should take good care
that it is not used as blind, as thu
cry of Reform was, by asp1rauts to off1c'
who could not persuade the people tt
elect them on their personal merits.
When the lottery question comes III
for action at the polls, all the part.
nominations will have been made, ant
every voter, at his option, will hav
the opportunity to vote "for" o
against" the proposed amendment
on the very same ticket bearing th
names of the candidates for the varion
| offices.
And, as the lottery question will b
finally decided, one way or the Other
simultaneously with the election @
| ah StatS anu paIUCHiaL ULAGttsS ~
very clear that none of these officer
can exercise any control whatsoeve
over the question after their inductio
in Office.
Therefore, the strenuous efforts j
certain quarters to use this side issue
again plunge the State into turmoi
] are groundless and unjustifable, and
I is to be hoped that the good sense an
independence of the people, wi
promptly frown them down.
| The discussion of the lottery que'
tioD and the independent action of th
voter upon it, at the polls, is OF
thing, and the nomination and electio
of the public officials is another.
It will make precious little differenc
with US, In view of the status that I'll
lottery question now occupies, whetht
the candidates for Democratic nomin;
tions, or for election on the Democrat
ticket, which is the ticket that we il
tend to support, are 'spros" or "antis
particularly if they are men sufficient
broad in their ideas TO recognize I'll
right of every man to his opinion c
any public question.