The Opelousas courier., 1893-12-16
a Dilemma.

We have peen conducting a Demo
cratic paper for many years and have
never despaired of the party. We dc
not now for as long as the rights O.
man are recognized, the thing called
Democracy will continue to exist 1t
may be trodden down for II time but
there will be resurrection for it,
The party may be guilty of errors, and
gross ones at that. 1t may be defeated
10 its efforts to maintain its ascen-
dancy, it has been, but it will revive
in some form and continue to shape
public polity. 1t is useless to disguise
the fact that the pNrty is even now
passing into great crisis, the precise
outcome of which it is impossible to
predict. important questions are to
undergo solution and the exact modus
0perandi we confess is not understood
by us. That pending the solution
great interests must be affected, that
capital will shrink from immediate in
vestment, and that the great masses of
the laboring classes will become las
they already are) alarmed and dissatis-
tied, is absolutely certain. The bold
and daring stand taken by the Presi-
dent and In a great measure supported
by many of the party leaders, has pro-
duced commotion far aud wide, which
time and successful experiment alone
can ever quell.
The late State elections have given
demonstration of the fact and we are
inclined to think it will continue to ex-
lst through the present administration.
We need not go from home to see the
disturbance the agitation of the silver
coinage question has given rise to.
Now here comes the tariff question
which strikes at many of the most i'm
portant industries of the country and
which at least one-half the Democrats /
view with deep solicitude and undis.
guisable alarm. Our leaders may as
we'll look facts in the face and if they .
do, they cannot fail to perceive
that men who live by
hard labor are not apt to sacrifice
their own material interests to follow
party leaders in proposition to foist a
theory upon theme, when they honestly
believe it will prove ruinous to them.
We are not aware that any nation
A"o o'SA SCU SetGI6u JuO
question of tariff Each has its own
theory, which like the sand bars in the
channel of great river is ever shifting
n obedience to the force of the rresist-
BILE drift of the water. Parties led on
oy leaders are striving to popularize
themselves and to do it adopt theories
which in many instances are more
plausible than beneficial. Stability in
he areH-enough should guide the states
nan, for he should know that changes
ire not always for the best. :
Take for example our sugar interest.
Jnder the bounty plan it has flourish
ID very rapidly in Louisiana, and if ]
ct alone would continue to do so. In
decade of years very large portion E
t the State now covered by cotton
arms would be turned into cane fields q
nd millions of dollars invested in the
manufacture of sugar. The wealth of =
be State would necessarily be increas- I
d far beyond any present power of L
and prosperity would be-
ONE general among the people. D
People do not complain of the pres
ot bounty to sugar, nor have they any I
easonabla cause to do so. fl
They realize that they are getting ]
agar as cheap as they could ask it, T
nd cheaper than ever before, if we CON G
der the quality of it. g
We might instance rice also. Who 9
>mplains Of the price of it, if we ex- I
opt the producers Then why should 3
le government tamper with it, unless G
can plainly benefit it9 Why not let l.
aloneY The consumers are not hurt j.
nd this is the class the politician is !,
Verlastingly weeping over, under an l.
Diding and inspiring sense of future j
lpport from it.
We think that when the people are
Ding well, and are satisfied, party j
aders should aim to keep them so. L
No lasting good can ever come of :
seless agitation. Repose is what is ''
seded whenever things are moving o
ong smoothly and we do not believe 9
" party can long dominate the affairs '
republican government like ours, e
hen it ventures to alarm prospering 4 4
asses in pursuit of theory. From
| quarters of our great country, COM Z
alnts and protests are daily coming
rward and there's no telling what, as &C
the party may come of it. tb