The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1894-07-14
THIBODAUX La, SATURDAY, JULY IA 1894
THE PRESS ON THE LEGISL4
TERE.

An exciting event of the present
Legislature WAS the pyrotechnical dis
play OF senatorial invectives against
the New Orleans Picayune and Daily
States last Thursday. Because the
two papers mentioned printed sensi-
BILE criticisms about the proposed suf-
frage reform bill, some of the members
OF the house of representatives foamed,
frothed and ciawed the air with all the
fienzy OF madmen and denounced them
III the bitterest of language. This was
very silly exhibition for so grave
and responsible body as the state
legislature is considered to be, and
will be condemned. We honestly be-
lieve our Mr.. Murphy carefully shnn-
ned the entire pop-a show.-Slidell
(St. Tammany) Bugle.
This Legislature in the good it did
not do. and the evil it did do, has
made record that no future legisla-
tnre should care to emulate. Its sins
of omission and commission. however.
the people will remember in 1896. and
1T will take something heavier than
the counting machines they have been
careful to retain in their election law
to put them back in the offices they
now hold or others they may prefer.
columbia (CaldwelD Watchmau.
Since the legislature has been in
session, the people of the state have
been anxiously watching the proceed
ing to see what disposition would be
made of the great questions of suffrage
and ballot reform. The session is
now drawing to a close and the peo-
pie are disappointed with tlleil repre-
sentatives. While majority of the
members of the Legislature profess to
be suffrage aud ballot reformers, vet
that body seems to have exhausted it's
ingenuity in efforts of pretending to
accomplish these reforms by measures
that do not reform at all. The con-
clusion is forced upon the people that
the Legislature has been tlifiing and
juggling with these important mat
ters. 1t has certainly been fertile in
inventing ways of how not to do it.
Homer claiborne parish) Guardian
Journal.
Senator Montgomery has the repu-
tation throughout the limits of this
State. of being a pure, able, incorrupt
ible and honest citizen and official, in
terested only in the welfare of the
State, the people and the continued
supremacy of tho Democratic party,
without regard to factional prednm;-
nance. The plea of the administration
adherents IN the legislature, that the
adoption of the Australian ballot or of
any other assuring an honest election
and fair count, would have the effect
of RELOCATING the alluvial parishes of
the State to the domination of the ne
gro and thus destroy Democratic as
tendency, is utterly evasive of the
real issue and cannot be sustained
with the least sclntlla of proof. which
would be considered as convincing by
any intelligent person conversant
with the past and present political his
tory of the State.
The real reason. which it is lmpossi.
ble to disguise or obscure with subter-
fnses, is plainly apparent upon the
surface of things. They know. that,
''like Othello, their occupation is
gOne," whenever executive dominion
over the elections has been absolutely
and entirely eliminated and they will
be remanded to the shades of private
life, to ruminate at leisure upon the
miracles which a free ballot and hon
est return will accomplish.
We fully coincide with and give
hearty assent to every one of the no.
ble, manly and patriotic sentiments
uttered by the Senator from Madison
parish and only regret that there are
not more MOntgomerys in the Legis
ture, to guide the now rudderless ship
of State, tossed by the pillows of fac
tional discord and dearth of eminent
and wise leadership, into safe anchor
Democrat on Sena.
tor Montgomery's Ballot Reform
Speech.
Pineville. La. July 2, 1894.
Mr.. Editor:-The newspapers of the
city and State cannot criticise the acts
of the General Assembly without be-
ing called slanderels by some of them
whose cOrns are gently stepped on. A
handful of politicians surely ought not
deter the press from dong its duty.
If they do, then indeed has the press
fallen from its high estate, and like
PoDe's lamb. is ready "to lick the
hand that's raised to smite it,"
We say to the press, the untrammel-
ed press-go on with your good work,
for nine-tenths of the free sovereigns
of Louisiana uphold you. The peo-
pie demand in their elections free
ballot and fair count though the
Heavens fall !-COrrespondent Alex