The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1892-04-30

The New Orleans Republican of the
22nd inst, speaks as follows:

The New Orleans Republican of the
END inst, speaks as follows:
1T is fast becoming obvious that a
qualified and limited suffrage is abso
lutely necessary in this State, and that
all elections should be held under the
protection of the Astralian system.
The right of suffrage is fast becoming
an article of merchandise, and is placed
upon the market with about the same
eagerness that the fruit vender betrays
In the disposal of his fruit. One thing
is certain, that there is very large
portion of voters in this State who
never vote unless they succeed In get
| ting some mercenary consideration for
their votes. y When it is
taken into consideration that nearly 40
per cent. of the total number of votes
are illiterate, unable to write their own
names, and goodness knows what per
cent are puTchasable; it ought to con-
vince any loyalty disposed person that
a qualified and limited suffrage is the
only salvation for our State govern
ment."
We heartily agree to the truth of the
above. Personal observations, repeat
ed at every election have forced the
conclusion upon our mind that suffrage
should and mast be qualified Various
experiments have been tried, but not
one with such satisfactory results, as
the Australian plan. This is entirely
feasible under our State Constitution,
because it carries with it no kind of
discrimination on account of race or
color. An act of the general assembly,
simply providing how the voter shall
manage TO cast his ballot, how the
tickets shall be printed, by whom to be
supplied, and how deposited, wonld be
sufficient. The voter could vote as he
pleased, and if he cast legal vote, it
would be counted. and if not rejected.
The failure to make his ticket would
result from his own ignorance, for
which no one should be to blame but
himself. To avoid circumvention of
the blight of ignorance, the commits
sioners should be authorized duty
obliged-to prohibit the use of stensils
at the box. We desire to see if our
patriotic legislators will take this mat
ter in hand when the General Assem-,
bly, shall meet next month.
The duty is, in our opinion, abso
lutely imperative. There is no sense
nor patriotism in eyerlastingly canting
about the freedom of elections, fair
counts and about the ballot box as
being the palladium of our liberty
when we see votes bought, voters in
timidated, ballots conntefeited, ignor-
ance taken advantage of, boxes stuffed,
false counting and perjured returns,
taking place at every election over all
the State.
The election law should be remod-
eled In several particulars. The pow
ers of the Governor affecting elections
should be taken from him. There is no
more necessity for giving him those he
has under the present law, than there
is for authorizing him to name his sue
cessor in Office. His fat marks the
limit of the popular will, and we are
virtually living under the rule, as to
elections, of an absolute antocrat.
Unless the legislature change all this,
the time will speedily come when his
audacity will reach its elimination
either by unblushing frauds or. bloody
revolution. We cannot believe the
majority of the. voting population of
Louisiana, has become SO abject, vile,
hnmiliated and humble MS to submit |
quietly to such nnsurpation. Why
should the Governor name canyassers
of elections and the law invest them |
with authority To name all the com
missioners of election? Would it not /
amount tp the same thing to author
ize him To select all the officials of tile |
State without putting the people to the
periodical expense Of holding, what is |
falsely called an election 7 The aciu ofI
The people has become q by word. q /
meaningless -fruitless thing.
Talk about government deriving the |
power from the consent of the govern
cd !! Why, it Is simply nonsense.
The governor has become all in all.
His will Is the Supreme lawhe is no
longer the representative Of the people |
they are tile llencilmen of his VII.
The appointing power makes minions
of bis appointees. and the penalty ofl
their disobedience is decapitalioD.
We say give US the Australian system
and make special provision that not
more than two minutes shall be given |
voter whom at the poll Id which to
make his ticket. In large precincts
increase the polling booths. Then If |
goes wrong the public and
the candidates will know where and I
before whom il occurred. Then We
can D ford To live under the law, and /
Commissioners will not be required TO
battle The will Of the voters to appease
the vengeance of q Governor.
Al portion of the lower story Of the