St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1892-02-06
l CONTEMPLATED WRONG,

A CONTEMPLATED WRONG.
The power reposed in the Execu-
tive governing election returns In
our State is a dangerous preroga-
tive, to say the least. when exer-
cised BY an ambitious or unscrupu-
lous individual, and may be used
to thwart the will Of the people or
to the detrimcnt Of good govern
ment. when the precautionary and
protective features are stretched
or cOntOrted to shadow fraud and
collision. This power was neces-
sary and rendered expedient when
. swarm of political adventures in
tested our State government. sus-
tanned BY = control over . mass Of
ignorance, newly lifted from state
Of abject slavery to the rights OF
citizenship and suffrage. and bound
to their leaders by social ties and
the promise of political advance
ment and domination. These pow.
ers granted to the Executive and
his subOrdinates to control the
elective machinery Of the State was
q wise provision to correct the pre-
vailing abuses rife when Radical
rule and misgovernment were to be
defeated, and mainly to protect the
purity Of elections in the State and
to carry out the sovereign will when
expressed through legitimate and
intelligent channels.
But as We have said, while this
power, lodged in the hands Of the
Executive for the protection Of the
best Interests of the State, is sus-
ceptible of extension for personal
" party purposes, the thought was
never entertained that the power
would he abused, but the trend Of
events arouses the suspicion that
our present Executive, through
personal purpose and afiiliation with
, factiOus element of the Demo
cratic party-wh0se sole inspira...
lion is to grasp official power-will!
50 far forget the confidence rcposed:
in him as to convert q protective.
power to manipulate the ballot box.
rs and establish in power . crew Of
insidious oifice-seekers aud p0liti.
cal sycoplAants, in direct opposition
to the expressed will Of the people.
This suspicion is not idle or the
result Of q campaign canard. Gov.
ever since the incipiency
If the anti-lottery crusade, has
shown q tendency to favor this
action. who, through their inability
~ present themselves before the
people with legitimate claims, seix-
ID upou the lottery issue to effect
/ division in the Democratic party,
md by agitating moral prejudice,
o ride into Office. At one time
iov. Nichols hoped to lead the
light, but unable to overcome the
with which he was re-
,arded. he chose = minor part, and
las been the power behind the
hrOne, contributing the influence
md service of his administration to
he State House Ring ticket.
Through the fight in the Legisla-
ure Gov. Nichols was prominent,
md promptly rendered his veto,
vell knowing its ineffectiveness, but
or the purpose OF harrassing the
legislature and to bring the qucs-
ion strongly before the public. |
ware of the mandamus proceed
ngs, and probably with . view II
INVOLVING in charge Of intrigue TIE |
resent nominee of the Democratic
'arty, 5. ID. McEnery, then, -
ow, q member Of the SupreIte |
|ench. Gov. Nichols Office he's |
cen headquarters for the campaign |
ommittee of the Ring faction
throughout, and his counsel has d.
ected their actions in the main.
he combine at Lafayette with tie
lliance, and the subsequent be-
rsyal at Baton Rouge, was through
is direction, and the organized
Olt from the Democratic COnvcn.
ion was sanctioned by him. His
rominence in anti-lottery circles
nd his recent refusal to guarantee
D honest election and . fair count ]
n the approaching poll, coupled |
nth the discourtesy and evasion :Of
rs creature IN office, Registrar
lynn. strongly predispose fears iof!
n uEwarranted use OF the mower I,
a his hands to control the returns |
4 the election in the interest Of his
action uo 4. hr~l1.>-l.