The Opelousas courier., 1894-09-08
A Mistaken Policy.
Baton Rouge Advodate.

Baton Rouge Advodate.
a. number of the leading Democrats
in st. Landry parish have sigued a
card setting forth the conditions lead
ing up to the action of the congress.
sIonal committee of this district in
ordering a nomination by primary cleo
lions, and protesting strongly against
such action. After setting forth the
reasons prompting them to take this
step. the paper closes with the follow
ing:
This last step, however, transcends the limits
or endurance and We appeal without hesitation
TO all SELF respecting Democrats of the district
to %repudiate it.
We do not want any complicated returning
ZION. such as that projected by the District
arrogating TO itself supervisory con-
trol not only over the returns Of the primary
election but also over the reorganization Of the
Committ 9 itself, and we demand a return to
the simple, well understood and fair methods
dent.
We respectfully suggest to our fellow-Demo-
Gratis of the district, through their Parish Ex-
ecutive Committees where they are willing to
act, otherwise through mass meetings, to take
proper steps to appoint delegates to q District
convention to assemble at Baton Rouge on Oc-
t0ber 12th to nominate a candidate for Congress
and appoint a new Congressional Committee.
Before the committee assembled The
Advocate repeatedly expressed its dis
appreciation of such a method of nomi-
mating a candidate, and on the floor of
the committee its editor, with other
committee against the adoption Of such
a course aud voted against the PROPOSE
ton. A majority of the legally con-
stituted committee favored the primary
plan. however, and there was nothing
for the minority to do but to acQuiesce
in the decision of the majority.
We do not at this time attempt any
defense Of the wisdom or justice of
the action of the committee. We be-
lieve now, as we did then, and AS our
St. Landry friends also believe, that
the conclusion of the committee was
impnlitic. unwise and unjust, yet at
the same time it ia the expression of
the legally constituted organ of the
Democratic party. and as such it is
incumbent upon all true Democrats to
fall into line and carry ont the man
dates of the party.
whom The Advocate has the profond-
est sympathy, to consider this question
carefully before they 60 too far and
involve their cause and themselves in
ir%retiievab!e ruin by going outside of
the ranks of the party to obtain a
redress of their grievance. We, the
white people of Louisiana, cannot
afford at this time-we never can afford
to turi backs on the Democratic
organization and seek II settlement of
u differences elsewhere than in the
ranks of Il " party. If a majority
of the Democrats of the Sixth district
conceive that they have been unjustly
dealt with in this matter, as we believe
they have been, they have an OppOrtu-
nifty to express their disapprovat of
such action at the ballot box on the 9th
of October. IF they do not avail them
selves of that opportunity, then they
have no right to complain.
The committee doubtless did wrong
10 constituting itself a returning board,
but admitting that to be true, still there
is no valid reason for any Democrat to
leave the party. Will any white ma
10 the Sixth district he SO puerile as to
admit that lie will sit quietly by and
see himself counted ont by a self-cOn-
stituted returning board? The mem
bers OF this committee are Democrats
and gentlemen and would not stoop to
such dishonest measures; but even sup
pose this We're not the case, we have ne
fears of the notwithstanding the Demo-
Gratis of this district as we'll as we know
them, we have no hesitancy in declar-
ing that no COMMITTEES will dare
attempt to thus thwart tbs expression
of their choice.
We beg our St. Landry friends to
make their fight strictly within party
lines, as no possible good can come
from any other line of conduct. Stay
In the party and all will yet be we'll.