The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1892-07-02
CORRESPONDENCE.
AUSTRALIAN BALLOT.
\ Valued Contributor Has Something t'
say on the subject.


say on the subject.
SHREVEPORT. La. July ], 1902
To the Editor Of he Progress;
In IA previous number of your valuable
paper, you gave the full text of an Aus
tralian ballot bill, which | read with con-
siderable interest, Taking il rs n whole,
/ think il very good bill. Some of its
parts no doubt might seem to our people,
who have been used TO II kind of 20 us
you please way of dong things, TO in n
great measure restrict our rights as free
American citizens. Yet, TO make it effec-
tive, as well us efficient, there must he no
gaps left down nor IUop-hUles by which
the tricky politician can yet the advant-
age and carry the election by fraud.
The question comes TO our minds, and
is often asked, do we need Il revision of
our election lawsy Most certainly we do.
You ask me why. In the st place, we
need il for seli-protection, and that OF
the rising generation. Louisiana stands
to-day in II different attitude from any
other Southern State. She has been the
battle-gI ound, we might say, for all the
political factions To fight on since the
days of reconstruction. We have been
accused of all the villainies known 10 the
calender. and all because we, as fiee
people, have been compelled 10 fight,
with all the might within us, TO preserve
ourselves from the infamy that our
Northern Republican friends would i'm
pose upon us; that is. what they choose to
call free ballot and fair count.
A free ballot and fair count, as they
would have il, means negro supremacy.
IL means the degradation of n proud and
noble race of freemen: and what do they
want 1t foiy Simply that they may Use
the poor, deluded negro To further the i'll
terest of party, with no use whatever for
the negro personal y, or withoutihe least
desire to beneht him in any way. As Is
well known, the negro race in numbers
far exceeds that of the whites.
After using the bayonet, then every
o her method that human ingenuity
could devise, our Republican friends have
at last, with all the cunning prompted by
a devilish disposition, cOucocted scheme
known as the Force bill. IL is well known
! that Mr.. Harrison is in full sympathy
with il, and will only be too anxious IL
sisn his name to make il a law.
IL will he one of the stI ong nr2uments
TO catch votes in the coming campaign
should the Republicans he successful Id
electing enough membcrs to control boil
houses, in which case we will have i'm
posed upon US this greatest of infamIes
Will II not be best, then, for us to bc
prepared for this? Had we not bettei
hedge ourselves about, SO as 10 guard
ourselves against 50 great calamity.
Then cannot one say To those who de-
] sire to come and settle in our state, "you
need have no fear about your politIca
liberties, no matter how much we may
differ"
We will, with an elt ction law like this
he able ut ali times 10 control the aflaii'
of state 10y intelligence. Ignorance vii
no moIe ear its head TO usurp authority
Political bossism will he r,legated TO Tia,
dark background of the past. The bitter
| anu ph'N'-"' WI .'"'N ~
excuse to occupy the time and attention
of Congress, in abusing Iis, To the neelec
of busin,ss his State sent him To perform
Our Legislature should reconsider thei
action, and IL they accomplish uothin,
NOR. duliug the short time the law al
lows them To sit, by all means pass bil
irving TO our State the Australian ballot
based upon an educational qualification
We are heartily tired of this old way o
doing things, for already have we eon'
TO that extreme that we are now alInos
| r,nt i'm twa,n by factional dIffel ences
aud charging each other with fraud an,
,orruptluu. The cry OF warning has al
ready been sounded. Take heed. men o
Louisiana, i'm time 40 avert THIS, the sun
of ull yIllai,ii,.s, the Force bill, by adopt
ing what is known Ms the Australian Bal
lot Law. ~.