The Progress., 1894-04-07
DEMOCRATS, STAY AWAY FROM lHt
POLLS TO-DAY.


+ seems like deIision, satire. mock
nv for this to be called Democratic
primary. The idea Of Democracy
laying part, parcel or connection
with any act whereby a small plural
ty may rule, is an anolnIIy that
would make one who mad known
Thomas Jefferson smile.
Nearly all Of our readers have
doubtless heard the story OF the boy .
who drew the picture Of a horse and
then wrote beneath, this is horse.
Well no doubt it would require label !
ing in great letters, tranSyerslng the
armament itself, and extending from
East to West and from pole to pole,
for a Democrat Of the old school TO
be induced to even hesitate long
enough to discuss whether or not
this voting to-day, if there be any,
could be anything bordering Oh
Democracy.
The idea Of four men in district
Of twelve parishes, whose voters OF
the Democratic ticket run into the
thousands and tens Of thousands, at
tempting an act SO un-Democratlc
and then have the etfrontery to even
assume that the people will abide by
their decision (they may term 1t
decree) is absurd, and should be re-
sented in that manly way for which
the American people are famous.
One of the best ways for the PEG
pie to repudiate this attempt to
trample on their rights, Is to stay
away from the polls to-day. Dis
countenance such infringement on
their privileges, such an assumption OF
dictatorship over them by refusing to
vote in this farce to-day, which some
have denominated primary cleo
ton.
Surely no one can be serious when
he says that the voting to-day, the
expression of choice for certain asplr'
ants can be binding2 No Democrat
can be bound by an un-Democratit
method. Democracy means the rule
Of the people and certainly no ont
can claim that, by the people, Il
meant small majority of them
The average girl OR boy Of twelve
could not be SO deceived, have hi
credulity so led astray.
1t is at once sophistry, puerilit,
, and demogoguery to declare that tn
primary to-day has been ordered b.
a duly authorized and organizes
Democratic executive committee, au(
for that reason their decision is il
the nature Of an ukase to Democrat
and they have ne option but to obey
III the first place, as we haT
:, stated before, the selection Of
Democratic candidate by the metho
adopted by this committee is ur
Democratic and no follower of til
faith is bound by it. Surely it
Methodist Bishop should send to tn
Shreveport charge Baptist, Presb+
terian, Episcopalian or any othe
o UNCONVENTIONAL preacher, and tia
preacher would in the pulpit an
elsewhere declare the doctrines Of HI
own denomination, the Methods
could not be forced to accept thel
simply because a duly ordaine
Bishop of their denomination Cfrol
what motive the ken OF men knowet
not) had sent him. To declare
mere belief in such an inference is
IS make one ridiculous.
n 1t is al evidence of puerlllty
e tameIy submit, even il one believe
/ the committee thought it had rlgl
to perpetrate such an unjust and III
;, expected act upon the people. Tn
- Is, or should be, and age of ind
:, pendence, and even officials in hig
= est places must be brought to a la
when they transcend the prerogatly
Of their positions. If we do nothil
y but c2mplain, yet always submit
. the actions of officials, how may
C reasonably expect to remedy evil
BY protests simply? A useless e
penditure of words and waste
vital force and energy, as be WI
> knowingly, wilfully and premedit'
edly commits wrongful act, will II
o cease to do so by mere censure, if t