The Banner-Democrat., 1894-01-20
The Lucky Man.

Farmersyille Gazette.
Last week we said it was better to
be born lucky than rich. So 1t is.
Riches take wings and fly away. but
the lucky man is always in doors
when squall comes, eats off the fat of
the land. has no nigbt-mares, but en-
joys serenity of mind and the favor
of those about him. His rabbit foot
never deserts him; his luck is account
ed unto him smartness and his name is
one to coniure by. Ii any favors are
to be dispensed, he is the first at the
dispensatory, not that he has claims
superior to other men, but because be
is a lucky man. He is always the pro-
tege of some big man and as this big
man holds full hand the protege
fares we'll. The protege never caryes
for himself but lets others carve for
| him.
Last spring we had Lieutenant
Governor Parlange; last fall we had an
Associate Justice Parlange. and this
winter we have United States District
Judge Parlange. This Lieutenant
Governor, Associate Justice and
Federal Judge are one and the same
man. The rapidity with which this
man has acquired different high Offices
| indicates that there is either a dearth
of ability among the Democrats of the
legal fraternity of New Orleans or that
he was born lucky. What has he done
so great that he should have such a
run on public offices TO the exclusion
of other faithful and long-serving
Democtars?
The Lieuten ant t-Governorship would
satisfy the ambition of some men, and
a position on the State supreme bench
would be the acme Of the aspirations
of many, if not of most, of the lawyers
of this State. But this man of luck
can't, or will not, halt even there.
His friends push him on, up higher
while other good, faithful Democrats
must wait.
We know Mr.. Parlange is good
man, an honest man, an anti-lottery
man and sound lawyer. But three
are scores of others in New Orleans who
are just as good, as honest, and as able
as he. The only difference is this: He
was born lucky, while they were born
in the .'dark Of the moon" His for
rner law partner is close to the Presi-
dent, his anti-lottery comrade is also
near the chief magistrate, while the
head of the State government is in
harmony with the Senators and in IA
vor of his lieutenant. Herein lies the
luck.
To the victors, their aiders and abet-
tors. belong the spoils. So much so
that even the President is made to over
ride his publicly expressed declar-
ations, made at the beginning of his
present term of office. that no Office
holder need apply. On the strength. of
this declaration Gabriel Montague,
who wanted office as badly as man
who has been on spree wants water,
was gotten lid of; while in spite of that
declaration this man of luck lands
quickly and effectually, successfully
and successlvely in all the fat Offices.
The dispenser Of the State patronage
and the givers out of federal places are
pulling together and driving for GER
Tain object Like all politicians their
object is to strengthen and perpetuate
their faction in Office. They, from a
political standpoint. cannot be blamed,
RS all politicians do this way. But
this faction will have to go outside of
their ranks for recruits. if it is perpet-
uated in power. II our political Wis
ion is not entirely wrong we see the
handwriting on the wall so far as Sem
ator Caffery and Gov. Foster are con-
cerned. The Governors faction is en-
tirely gone to pieces in this section of
the State. The third party men. and
many of the alliance men who support
ed him for governor will do SO no
more. forever, and if the senators had
acted wisely they would have PIT a cer-
tain prominent congressman of this
State where they have placed Mr.. Par
lange. and thereby have gotten rid of
a formidable rival for gubernatorial
honors at the next State election.