The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1894-06-02
Electoral Reform pemsnded.

Ihesdes1re Tor vn0rVusu leiolih
Of election methods. in Louisiana isl
general throughout the State, and
vet there have come from Baton
Rouoe. since the General Assembly
has been in session, repeated state
ments to the effect that nothing will
The done towards ballot reform and
amendment of the electoral fran
cbise.
Traced to their sources, no. relia-
BILE authority is given for such state
ments; but they are banded around
with currency which is not en-
tcouraging to-all who are deeply con-
lcerned tor change in the election
methods, and 1T looks as if there is a
]prcmeditated effort to discourage
Hope and to treat IN fippant and
trivial manner the most important
linturest.in the State. No reason is
] given why the constitutional amend
Ements should not be acted on at
once; but there is an evident effort
to make 1t appear as if long period
Iof postponement were necessary in
order to prepare the State for a
change which, were the amendments
enacted at the present session of the
Legislature, could not be ratified by
the people until the next general
State election.
There IS no reason under the sun
why the adoption of the suffrage
amendments should not be consum-
mated at once. The only people
who are opposed to them are the
hoodlum politicians of city and
country, who prosper by stufing
ballot boxes, by crowding in the
votes of unnaturalized Foreigners,
( by iptimidating negro voters, and
q by adopting every corrupt method
! of classifying elections. These are
the only people in the State who
g can make anything for themselves
a BY defeating the proposed suffrage
!, reform, and these are, above all
: / other classes, the ones that ought 10
! be downed and swept from power,
and the only way in which such a
! most blessed work can be accom-.
It plished is by the adoption of the
n constitutional suffrage amendments
;. and by the enactment of an Austral
ian ballot law.
If the members of the Genera
u Assembly shall fail to respond te
IT. the almost universal demand of The
is people for election reform, but shall
d|by means Of unnecessary delay, o.
afby any other manifestation OF oppo
: sltion, prevent the accomplishment
p of this reform, they will brand them
ID selves with the reproach of having
d become the tools of the politica
! hoodlnms and bulldozers, and the.
{ Twill deserve the concentrations AM
" exertions of the best people, no
n only of Louisiana, but of the entlr
e. country.
lrI When the Southern people wer
= confronted with powerful organize
lions of the Republican party
= backed up by the entire force of tn
lr National Government, which wa
in being operated as titanic part
es machine, the Southern Democrat
.. were justified, on the plea of urgen
!, necessity, in controlling their loca
rs elections as best they might, to say
themselves and their property fror
til falling into the hands of rapaclou
IS. hordes Of adventures who wer
ha using the ignorant negroes as thei
tools. But now, when the peopl
as of Louisiana are in condition I
We purge their elections from corruT
n methods, and to enact laws that wi
h. give Justice to all according to the
:, needs and condition, there ought
be no delay in accomplishing TIL
=" most necessary reform.
tie The time has come when th
lu- State can no longer endure the r.
la proach that must attach to refus'
:. to purify its election system
About every other Southern Sta
has done all this, and Louisian'
which should have led in such a
of enlightened work, has fingered
a the last. The people of Louisial
~ can no longer endure to have the
80 State alluded to as the headquarte
'ne of corrupt elections and ballot-bc
nd stufing. But far less can the
lily endure to have these unlawf
measures used to perpetuate
power professional corruptionis
Inc and corrupt political organization
md 1t makes no difference whether
80 not the people of Louisiana mi
s' care what the world may think
ing say of them, they certainly cam
er- afford to submit to slavery Mhi'
rs. is forced on them by clIques or Ri
ent politicians who are enabled to u
md for the parpose the dishonest mea
80. that were originally devised to be
M the Republicans and the negros
sny The time has come for reforr
18th and the people must require it
me the hands of their representatives