St. Landry democrat., 1891-08-01
The Politicians and Farmers.

The Politicians and Farmers.
The Alexandria Times has the fol
lowing to say OF old "reminiscences, lead
ing down to the development OF very
recent phases in State politics. 1t re-
fers especially to the fact. now begin
ming to be apparent, that the politicians
cannot control the farmers, as they
hoped to do until they learned by some
late experience that the farmers are not
built that way. The Times says:
| The anti leaders in the State, compos.
ed of politicians, brokers and bankers
some of whom are said to be large
stockholders in the rival Mexican lot
terry company, have at last shown then
hand and their insincerity.
SO far as we remember Francis /,
Nichols during the whole time he was
governor down to the last Legislature,
never in message or in a single public
| speech said one word against the Loul-
siana lottery company. He accepted
their aid in 1877 to help establish his
| government, and again in 1888 to elect
! him governor.
| The politicians, who are unable to
join the Farmers Alliance because of
| their occupations, belonging usually to
| the class of lawyers, merchants, bankers
and retired capitalists, are always ready
! to form an anti-lottery league just when
some honest but unsuspecting Farmers
Union has organized, knowing that Icy
this means they can capture the honest
yoemanry and lead them into the politi-
cal meshes skiIlfully prepared for them
the great antilottery crusade, with
out their suspecting that their sole pur-
pose is political preferment. We have
| for some time watched these manru-
vres and have wondered if the mask
| would not, sooner or later, drop from
| the faces of these shreWd schemers and
their little political game be brought to
| light in all its insincerity.
AS against the politicians we are with
| the farmers i'll this fght-for Adams
against the insiDcere leaders of the
ants, who expect to use the farmers
and lead them as sheep are led to the
shambles. The anti politicians remind
| us Of the old story Or little boy who
looked on at a large Newfoundland dog
wagging his tail and wondered whether
the dog wagged the tail or the tail wag
ged the dog. 1t seems, however, that
the farmers, possessing the body, do not
propose for the anti politicians, who
are the tail, to do the Wagging.
MI. lAuitUl LII INC ldSU lSSuc III ZIG
"Couriern appears an article headed
Remarkable Conversation between
patty named Postmaster and another
named Opelousas, in which Postmaster,
who is an anti among ants, gives Opel
ousas to understand that they, the
Saints" propose to carry this election
by fraudulent means if needs be.
/ am not at all disposed to detract
from or in any way find fault with the
wholesome 1ejoinders of Opelousas to
Postmaster in aforesaid conversation.
His answers cannot be improved on.
They are tempered with moderation,
and are exceedingly apropos.
In addition thereto, | want to say to
Mr.. Postmaster that he is very much
mistaken in the temper of this people if
he thinks he can play his game of ballot
box stuffiDg upon US. 1t is our proud
privilege and boast, and has been for
years-even in the dark days of Radical
misrule-that in this parish our people
are always given a free ballot and fair
count. We have men here who insist
upon this as matter of right, and who
have heretofore obtained it. They are
going to have it again this time, or per-
ish in the attempt.
If Postmaster ever attempts this, he
~
have his life insured and make his peace
with God, as he is likely to forfeit his
life in this vain endeavor. We may be
in minority, but we propose to see that
every vote that goes into the ballot-box
shall be read and counted as it went in,
and no majority is going to prevent this.
Ii Postmaster has lived here any !
length of time, he ought to know that |
such has always been the practice, and |
no man Or set of men have ever attempt
ed to do that which he proposes, for the |
simpl g reason that it could not be done.
II he is stranger in our midst, and is
looking around with view of BULLDOG
ing or intimidating any of our white
citizens by such language, we would adj
wise him to employ his time doing some
thing more profitable for tile cause.
He cannot frighten us, he cannot bull
doze US, he cannot manipulate our bal
Ot-boxes nor alter our election returns.
1t he thinks he can, let him begin at
once. | think he can find car load of
people who will accommodate him upon
short notice. READER.