St. Landry democrat., 1892-01-09
The Cause of the Bolt.

For the first time since the halcyon
days before the war, when white men
aud patriots held the rcins OF govern
ment in Louisiana and controlled inc
political destiny and dignity OF her pco-
pie, no matter whether Democrat VI
Wing sat i'll the executive char, are lhc
people of the State confronted Nltii d
false flag of Democracy. For the 1irst
time since the dark days Of reconstruc-
ton has the Suldon of the power tllat
led them out of that slough OF political
dcspond been obsculcd 10y false signals
The people of Louisiana were once
free to express their political opinions
without fear of further consequence
than the transferring OF tue State gov,
crnment from one set OF brave ana loyal
frecmcn to another, each actuatCu Oy
the Same lofty spirit working Tor com
mon goal-the grandeur OF the State ana
the good of her people-dlvldcd only III
rhoico of methods by which that con-
summation SO devoully wished was to
be reached. In those days Democracy
was sometimes defeated and the people
did not suffer materially by it, but the
times have changed. Driven to desper-
alton by war and reconstruction, WIFI
their attendant plaques OF carpet-batg
and negro domination, the white people
of Louisiana, knit together by common
misfOrtune6 and common suffering, turn
ed with one accord to u common source
of relief. The old aulmosltlcs OF wing
and Democrat were forgotten unueL the
oppression Of the common toe. blaCk
RepublicaniSm caused all true SONS 10
become Democrats with out one pui-
pose-the rehabilitation OF lndustral IN,
Il,
freedom of their race and people. they
we're successful. Under the leadership
of John McEnery, a brother OF the man
who has lust been chosen Standard
bearer of the regular Democracy, the
carpet -baggers and negroes were SO sue
cessfully resisted that at the next cleo
tjon their influence was completely des-
troyed in State politics. Since that time
Democracy has presented SOLID front
and given the people OF Louisiana a
white mans government.
So well satisfied have the people been
with the achievement OF this one grand
result. that they have been careless to
some extent about who held the public
trusts, and they have allowed men to-
tally unfit for public Office to go along
in unuuestiOncd enjoyment or salaries
incident to government, until these
spoilcd and pampcred products OF po-
litlcaI security have come to fcel That
The unblic offices of the State are their
private snaps. The unbldlcd lnsolence
of these over confident public servants,
however,, finally reached Il point when
the people could bear 1t no longer, and
the very party that put these oVeibear-
iu- taskmastcrs III power has just untlnl-
ulUusly resolved to strip them OF Their
robes and scCptcrS~-and Their salaries.
Here lies the scat Ot the present political
disorder in Louisiana. HAVluS lOllcd Id
the Luxurious case Ul official HE 1Our
wears, the office holding class wore luath
10 return to the stern duties lDCldCnt To
earning IL livelihood, and III their des-
pcratiou they set up aconaplIacy against
the Democratic party, the very power
that gave them political existence, and
resolved to hazard all III open revolt
rather than submit to official retirement.
The govcrnorship they must have Ill or
der to secure reappOlntmcut.
This is the situation i'll nutshell. The
Democrats OF the State have become
tired of the ring Of professional polltl-
clans who, under the leadership Of Gov.
Nichols, Lave lorded it over the people
for four years. The situation with the
Office holding class, headed by Senator
Foster, is that if they fail OF success in
their bolt they have nothing to lose, as
their doom had already been scaled; II
they viii the governorship, they will re,
tain the salaries which they have learned
SO well to draw. For instance, il Mr. &.
Harrison Parker, the editor OF the n. y.
New Delta, can succeed in so dividing
the Democratic party as to cause the de-
feat OF Judge McEnery and the regular
Democratic ticket, he will continue to
gather his $4,000 or $4,000 a year as
tax collector Of the parish of Orleans; II
he cannot do this lie will lose nothing, as
the termination of his sinecure will come
with the election of the regular Demo-
cratic candidate. Others of the Anti
Ocala political faction are in precisely
the same boat. This one instance is
only cited as an illustration. Hunt up
the records of the boilers and it will be
found that they are one and all profess
sonal politicians who had been doomed
to oblivion by the majority of the Dem
ocrats of the State, and whose only hope
for further political prominence and
preferment lay in the disruption and
defeat of the Democratic party. A set
of desperate conspirators, with nothing
to lose and much to gain, they have not
heSltated to assault the dearest pOlltlCdl
institutions of the State, and nothing
commonly held dear and sacred by the
good white people Of the State has es-
capped their attacks. They villify every
thing and everybody from the Justices
of the Supreme Court down to the hum
blcst voter who dares to oppose them.
The people of Louisiana have not sub
mitted tamely in the past to insolence
and dictation, and it is not probable that
they will do it in this instance.
The DEMOCRAT is not urging its read
ers to rally to the polls for the sake OF
preserving the power of the true Demo
cratic party and defeating the self-ap-
pointed evangelists who are Attempting
it's destruction, for it knows that they
will do that without ur"ics, but 1t Is-
calling for such all orore the'g of loyal
Democrats AS We exile sees gree flag OF
I,.centino all denominations Babylon aver