The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1895-07-27
oe' Landry in the Ballot Reform ~,
vention.

cno loiio"lng article, from the N q
s' aitiiOugii based on incorrect nre
sos' contains some sound truths m
.umoer OF white men who woniI na d;s 10
Irahch'sed by the amendment ia ,,,,o, .J
snmaiier than the States assumes .inSo
Ierrault probably meant to sav tn at "S'
,h'ru or the entire body of yote,s ponI,
~ o9 u'sl 'slrahchlsed--and that wonld he
.hs hhsn est,mate. Less than 9 Der cent n
''e ""'te vote would be eliminated
10 me closing hour of the Ballot Ra
,?I!h convention in this city Saturda,
n.En. me Following episode varied tat
body: '''''o" ol t'Ea
The St. Landry delegation Mass
W. e. Perrault, C.. NJ. Thomnsn,, nns1'i ana :
y. Chachere, withdrew from the % con. y
vention, Mr.. Perrault STATING that ~.
hdorsement of the constitntiona
| amendment 10y the committee on rasn
Intlons On necessitated the withdrawal q,
Ine 81. Landry delegates because they
Wele hol III sympathy with the a.7solu
'ions ana were Instructed in a diamet.
iicatiy opposite manner. i
Judge Perrault, of st. Landry. in an
s"ef 10 an appeal from MIR. Hicks TO re.
| consider the withdrawal of the ST.. Ian
| ary delegation and a vote with the ma
Jority, replied that the people of his
| parish were as aExiOus as those of anv
| otler parish to secure the purity and
freedom Of the ballot, but his delega-
tion havlng been instructed, they could,
nhuer the condition of affairs, do moth.
ing else but retire. The delegation
must ooey the express desires of the
people OF st: Landry. The people there
VIII Always De found ready and willing
10 present solid phalanx for true De-
mocracy, but as regarded this constitn-
tlonal amendment, the st. Landry della
CATION must be allowed to Withdraw
from the convention. If the amend
ment was adopted 33 1-3 per cent of the
sturdlest Democrats of Southwest Lou
lslana would be disfranchised, because
tiiey nave not had the advantages of
education, partly because the State has
not afforded proper facilities to the peo-
pie OF Southwest Louisiana to be edu-
Gated.
The statement that there are 33 1 8
per cent Of the Democrats OF Southwest
Louisiana who are ilIiterates and not
possessed of dollars worth of prop
erty Is simply the statement of the
plain truth that there are 33 1.3 per cent
OF the Democrats of Southwest Louisi-
ana who ought by no means to possess
the important right to vote; and that
when they do vote they vote at the die
tatiOn of a few politicians or leaders
whom they obey, aud not according to
any Intelligent and independent judg-
ment.
The fact stated by Judge Perrault is
pretty generally known, and it is the
very strongest argument that could be
possibly advanced in favor of Ballot Re-
form. 1t may be true, indeed, we are
quite sure that it is true. that these H.
literates are poor, and that tho State
has not educated them but that is no
poverty stricken illiterates should be
entrusted with the primal power to in
fuence the legislation Of an enlightened
State, and be used by politicians as all
Ignorant and unreasoning club to strike
down the property and other rights of
the community. The right to vote is
the right and the power to govern, and
no suc, power should he entrusted to
either the criminal and vicious or the
ignorant classes. Indeed to submit this
sacred right to these classes ia to strike
directly at the root of Republican gov
ernmeDt.
Nor can the State be held tn blame
for the existence of this mass Of litter
acy. The general education of tho
masses is an act of paternaiism the
State. in this era of fads, and follies,
and humbugs, has undertaken 10 per-
bound to observe If there were not a
free school in the State there would still
be very large body, great majority
of the people, who could read and write
and conform to all the requirements of
this amendment. In nineteen cases out
of twenty illiteracy is not the result of
the lack of opportunity, but of the inhe-
rent WOrthlessness OF the iliiterates.
Anybody with the stuff that freemen
are made of in his makeup will secure
the rudiments of education in this age.
Nay, no man of the mould that should |
vote is too old to master the rudiments |
of education. The ilIiterates are as a
mass aD 1DambitiOus, non-prOgressiye,
stupid AT j plant class OF people, con-
tent with their condition in life and be-
sOtted in their ignorance, knowing no
reasoning and no law except those of |
The politician WHO may happen to secure |
their affection and confidence.
Ii We are wrong in this then the |
to the Constitution which |
the st. Laudry delegation
will be. ii adopted, the richest blessing
hat can befall their parish. 1t will put /
heir army OF iiliterates on their mettle;
t will give them an incentive to help
out of the slough of their
gnoranec; it will inspire them to be
men, to be freemen-something more
han the blind and besOtte.l instruments
If politicians - and to prepare them
elves to stand among and do the part
It freemen at he hnstings and the polls.
If. indeed, as Judge Perrault asserts,
he illiterates Of Southwest Louisiana
ire intelligent and sturdy Democrats.
he adoption of this amendment will
,rOve in tho end to be the greatest edu-
atinnal step that has ever been adopted
o Louisiana. Louisiana cannot do
much at this time to extend her public
choOl system. But il the iiliterates Of
he southwestern portion Of our State
re the tOf men the st. Landry dele
alton represent them to be, let them
e made to know that they cannot re-
aain stepped in their besotted ignorance
nd at the same time exercise the high
of free citizens. and they
,ill then be prompted by both shame
nd pride to prepare themselves for the
ivic duties of freemen.
Last Friday evening, the 10Th, as the
teamer Trndeau was on its way up to
Washington a /" floater +" was found at q
Oint about seven miles below wash