St. Landry democrat., 1892-04-16
Lamentable Failure.

can be more impressive than the lessor
taught protesting Democrats 10y tn
present condition OF party matters.
This unfortunate state of things begai
by foolishly injecting into The party al
evanescent issue, which soon became
cause of radical division in the party
This we then thought, and now beiicy'
with the force Of convlction, could have
been fairly and as satisfactorily actet
upon in the party as by division of it
Ii, to effect the ab0!ishment of the Lou
isiana State Lottery, it was necessary t'
divide the party, why is it not quite al
necessary to do SD on the silver aud the
tariff questions There is really nc
unity in it on these issues. We tiud
Congress in the fog on the silver coinage
issue-some Democrats favorlng and
others opposing it; This is question
that involves substantial, a material,
enduring principle, and yet we find no
hopeless and desperate division OF party
fealty among Democrats because they
cannot agree concerning it. Look at
the efforts that have been made during
| the present Congress to get bill
throu gIl on the subject. See the siren
! uous and one may say persistent efforts
made by Democrats to prevent it's pass
age. II the mem bers had acted as Dem
ocrats have done in Louisiana, the ma
tional Democratic party would have
been hopelessly split IN twain and all
chance of electing Democratic Presi-
dent lost. But acting with more pru-
dence and sagacity, they have carefully
preserved the autonomy OF the party
aud are ready to 20 into the presiden-
tial campaign with harmonious concert
of action.
Not so have the Fostorites demeaned
themselves on this State question. They
began by opposition to the passage of
the enactment bill. This may have been
fairly justified. We are not disposed to
find fault with Legislators who on their
cousciences believed it unwise and in
expedent to submit the revenue amend
ment to vote of the people. They act
ed as they believed duty required. 9th
ers, however, did not view the question
as they did, and therefore considered 1t
proper to submit it to them. Then vile
abuse and charges of a criminal nature
filled the mouths of the opponents, as
monstrous and incredible rs the story
of tile headess Hessian that nightly ca
reered on horseback over the dreary
haunts of Sleepy Hollow. And like tue
good denizens of the Dutch COLONY,
many were found credulous enough to
believe, or at the least to say they be-
lieved, reports, rumors and accusatlons
that would have battied credulity had
the like been uttered in the earliest his
tory of New Amsterdam.
These shameful proceedings could !
never be expected to answer any har-
monizing purpose. The FOsterites un-
derstood it we'll enough, aud persisted
in their cause until the delegates to the |
State nominating convention were elect
ed and met. Finding themselves in a
minority they bolted. This feet some |
OF them try to deny, but it is useless, AZ
every one knows they did. Had they |
been majority, what reason gould they |
have had tor leaving the convention ? |
If they had majority, they could, by !
in the convention, have NOM
mated their candidates, and would
thereby have kept the party together.
L is useless to comment here, and more |
SO as it forms no part of our |
purpose. Suffice it say, that two sets OF
were nominated. 1t was
afterward agreed to settle the wrangle
selves. They voted, McEnery received
4 majority of the votes cast, and then
was counted ont. So we see that at
svery stage, minority has been bent
ID controlling majority OF the voters,
aud yet we are told this is democracy.
Now the question presents itself thus to
,ur own mind: Is it proper, right, reas-
,nable, fair, erpedient, for a majority to
yield everything to minority for the
sake of harmony and unity' If it be,
hen when, in the course OF events, will
t be possible for the majority to resume
ts rightful dominion i!
Can we imagine time coming when
political conventions can be so called
md held that there will be no malcon-
.ents?
Our deliberate opinion is that, siHce
;he majority or the minority must rule,
and since we profess to be democrats,
We might just as we'll. noE, sternly and
ixedly maintain the rightful supremacy
If the majority. We are aware Of the
possible consequence at the approach.
ng election, but right should prevail if
he heavens fall.
The lesson will be needed in the iu-
uge.