The Louisiana populist., 1895-05-17
Ballot Reform.

my of Mosic last night, started on |
the movement most ausDlciOus'y |
and enthusiastically, and. ut the
same time. practically. The at
tendance. composed Of all classes,
and dc @1Dlause with which the
remerka o. The speakers was gree
ed. show ed tbat ballot refOrn has
the peOoie behind it; while the res
olu;,on: ~ in practical form The
Doo.'I cen ,nds with which slODe
.oni iaa.. will be satisfied.
Iae p",oosc of the meeting W. :
20 se,oe popular approval aoG
n.ckio~ N The campaign soon o
&c aO,,. ri; TO irame a platform,
and iormula.e, in the most Sue
enc, ior,a, the demands OF the
l.ea"re; aud TO submit alsO for the
aDorOval o. tbe people the COM
mi!teeS 20 with is TO he ent1 nsiec
The Daosgemeui of the canp jen
abori o be entered in;O .Of fODesi
eec,ious, ballot rcfOrn and q le-
publicaa EiOrm of government. The
committees, consisting OF execu-
tive. ulance and auxiliary finance,
were approved. The platform was
similarly accepted with applause.
1t oopos as the constitutional amends
ment which provides that parish
anu Stale elections shoo!G be neld
Simultaneously. 'ibe suffrage
amendUent which l,,'its the fran
chise 10 those vino can read, with
certain exceptions, was accepted
and recommended TO the voters as
an improvement on The present Sit
uation, slthOugh the League de-
clares tnat It was not such a pro-
vision as "we should have prefer
red" 1t advocated The adoption
of the Australian iaiiO5 system and
of such d registration law rs will
prevent fraudulent registration.
TO accomplish these eo'is, The
Leae,,e declared that 1t was essen
tiai 10 elect a Legislature in full
sympathy with the ballot reform
movement; and it announced mat
''it is our purpose to nominate and
em;eavor to elect, in every repre-
sentative and senatorial district in
the State, legislators who can be
depended upon to carry out these
objects All other issues are 20
be subordinated to the demands OF
ballOt reform. All personal de-
sires, aspirations or prejudices, all
party allegiances, must, for the
time, be subservient to the end
aimed at. The League declares
that when, through its campaign
committee, it indicates the candi-
date of its choice, it will expect its
supporters to follow its lead and
stand by it. Finally, while an
nouncing that its first and special
aim is to secure honest elections,
and therefore to obtain control of
the Legislature, it announced that
it would require an honest and
economical administration of local
affairs, and therefore, whether its
contests took the form of indie
pendent action or the Endorsement
of candidates put out by some
party, these candidates would be
such as to guarantee a clean and
efficient administration of munich.
pal affairs.
This is a strong and bold enun-
citation of the doctrines of the
League, and will command the
sympathy and support of the peo'
pie throughout Louisiana. They
have, for years, been demanding
|, honest elections, and eating upoI
some one TO lead them in ,iie fight
for ballot reform in Inc Sia;e; ano
will put an end to frauds that have
80 long dlsgraced il. The League
now undertakes the leadership. i
knows what is wanted, and speaks
out clearly and with emphasis OF
the subject. 1t will not allow par
ty issues or party allegiance to in
J terfere with the great purpose a
, which it aims-hOnest elections
, If any party gets in the way, op
poses openly or secretly pure ant
honest ballot, it may expect to flnt
the League arrayed in opposition
to il, placing candidates in the iielt
, against it to carry the banner o
honest elections. 1t requires cour
age to announce this doctrine il
Louisiana: it will require courag'
to adhere to these principles. tina
. party allegiance must, Tor thi
, election at least, give way 10 Tn
demands of ballot reform; bu
those who heard last tnight's speech
es, and saw last nights meeting
III ~ A