The Opelousas courier., 1892-04-23
The State Election.
N. o. Times Democrat. April 20.

can place the slightest confidence in
the results announced j; and it is i'm
possible from them for us to tell how
the election really went or to comment
upon it intelligently.
No one who glances over the figures
of some of the parishes can doubt for a
second that the boxes were stuffed,
aud stuffed recklessly and monstrous
". With their control over the cleo
tion machinery of the State it was pos
sible for the Fosterites to fix up the re-
turns days in advance; and these ma
jorities now reported were actually ar
ranged some days ago in the Foster
committee room in this city. A week
ago the managers here were able to say
that Madison would give 1900 majori
ty, Concordia so much and Caddo so
much and it is therefore not at all
surprising to see the Fosterstes an
nounce, shortly after o'clock in the
evening before the vote was counted
and before word could be heard from
many of the wards, that the parish
of Caddo gave Foster 1000 majority
over McEnery and 5000 over Leonard.
And in other parishes where nine
tenths of the precincts are hours away
from the telegraph, the exact Foster
majorities were announced few min
utes after the polls were closed and in
some cases before the voting was done.
The Fosterites had their maiorities all
ready in advance, and they only want
ed the signal to announce them. They
have given them in round figures in ad-
vance so as to prepare the public mind
for the stupendous and impossible ma
i jorities. Within the next few days the
count will be completed and the exact
returns will then be announced. The
claims made are SO preposterous, and,
as we remarked, so impossible that the
Fosterites thought it necessary to
break the shock and prepare the peo-
pie for their@tartliDg figures.
These returns contain on their face
evidence of fraud. Wherever there was
fair count, one above suspicion, as in
New Orleans, Baton Rouge and else
where, it is shown that McEnery gained
in the votes over the primary of last
month, bnt wherever the Fosterites
were in complete control of the elec-
ton, where there was no chance to su-
pervise the vote or assure its examina.
tioD, the McEnery strength appears td
have almost completely disappeared
that is, was counted out-and in some
cases fell 80 per cent and more. It il
not seriously pretended that there was
any such loss, but that it was 'sall in
the COUNT
AS for the Foster majorities report
ed from these parishes, they are too alb
surd for serious consideration. The or.
, der seems to have gone forth from
headquarters to return as big majori
] ties as the registration lists would al
; low, and in some of the parishes thi
SCENE to have been interpreted al
meaning that the entire registration
] should be returned as having voted
for Foster.
With returns so grotesque and SO IN
worthy of credence it will, of course.
be impossible to say with any definite,
ness what is the actual and true re.
suit Of the election until the votes have
been investigated and it is determined
how many Foster honestly received
We certainly cannot accept many 0
! the returns reported yesterday or any
results based on what is palpably anC
confessedly a gigantic and unprecedent
ed fraud.
Before the astounding fraud
perpetrated by the Fosterite
throughout the parishes in this election
even the Young Returning Board stea
sinks into insigDifcance
N. o. Picayune, April 81.
As to the State tickets, that heade
BY Mr.. Foster can count up heav
plurality. Only a plurality over th
highest competitor is required in thi
State, and that Mr.. Foster has to a
amount which we do not care to CUES
at in the absence of any full returnt
The MeEnery Democrats were denie
representation at the polls throughou
the country districts, and in view Z
the intense bitterness of the campaig
from the beginning to the present, wit
the entire election machinery in all th
country parishes entirely on one sids
it is not worth the trouble, save as
mere matter of routine, to consider th
McEuery vote. Let us hope, for th
: credit of the State, that no more vote
It have been counted i'd the boxes tha
ii there are actual voters in their respect
i've parishes. Al reasonable vote wi
% be entirely efficient to secure Mr.. Fol
y ter's triumph, and it will be more log
Il ical and easier TO explain.
y y As to the General Assembly. it Is lt
y cidedly uncertain as to which tactic
e has secured majority of its member
Z e In many parishes local interests opel
IS ated to control tile result, and the Stal
. ticket was traded off in many othel
ls for senatorial and represe ntatiy
z places. The candidates were at han
81 81 to look after their own interests. an
So they could not be so easily disposed
- as 10 the case of candidates on Sta
% ticket, which was officially ignored
g tile polls. Under all the circnmstanc
Is it i'll a matter of much doubt as
which Democratic faction will contr
6. the General Assembly, and the ou
Il Il come will necessarily be looked
= with intense interest. All the parti
nlala attainable are given elsewhere.
N. q. City Item, April 90.
Meanwhile, as regards the claims 8
s. up ON behalf of Mr. Foster. The bal
q of the round majority that it is alleg
= he has received appears to be calcul
"a ~ tions Tor arrangementsl made IN q
Is vance respecting them. Chairman
the Committee, Mr.. Kruttschni
claims TO have had last night ID
" patches giving full estimates of I
u - .sx.ft affxvNz