The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-02-08
The Worst Doodle Convention
Ever Held.

N. o. states.]
The Daily Crusader, printed in
this city, is the organ of the colored
people of New Orleans, and, we be-
lieve of the State. L. A. Martinez,
its editor, is All educated colored
man; he possesses ability far above
the average leaders of his race, and
be is believed to be a straight,
honest man, and we must say, that
if he writes his own editorials he Is
writer of no mean capacity. Edi-
tor Martinez is a dyed-in-the-wool
Republican, as matter Of course.
He has sense enough, however, to
note the shortcomings of his party
and the courage to denounce them.
In the last issue of his paper, in an
editorial headed, "Come and Cone"
relating to the recent negro or old
Republican convention, he says:
The Irregular Republican State
Convention" has come and gone. Full
accounts of its transactions have been
published in the morning press and it
is unnecessary to lose time and place
TO reproduce them in detail.
1t was one of those gatherings that
had better never have been held.
Az an old timer said: alt was the
worst Doodle convention he ever saw
and Kellogg did it."
The first days proceedings were
decorous enough, but the second day
they were disorderly and riotous to
degree that was disgraceful. 1t was
as if bedlam was let loose. They fur
nished to the enemies of justice the
strongest example that. could be adj
vanced for the adoption Of the suf-
frage amendment.
The colored editor concludes his
drastic review of the convention and
its works as follows:
AS to the old party, the final result,
leaves it where 1t was before-in the
hands of the worst political sharks for
the purpose of trading our votes for
the next four years. Will we permit
lit?
This is the view perhaps the most
cultivated colored man in Louisiana
takes of the convention which
turned the negroes of the State over
to the sugar-teats, who take about as
much interest in the negroes as
bull terrier takes in a rat. What
do Caft. Pharr and the other high
toned representatives of s'the intelli-
gence and wealth of Louisiana"
who are to be the beneficiaries of the
action OF this negro convention,
think of this denunciation of the
recent convention as the worst
Doodle convention ever held by the
negro Republicans? We invite
Capt. Pharr to contemplate the pic.
ture of the power which he and the
sugar planters, who are with him,
have invoked to elect him governor
of Louisiana and destroy the white
Democracy. 1t was, says this intel
ligent and honest colored man, not
only bad convention, but the worst
Doodle convention ever held. There
was nothing IN the carpet-bag days,
when Warmoth and Kellogg ruled
the villainous elements of the Re-
publican politics, equal in infamy to
it. Will Capt. Pharr, who is one
of the representatives of the alleged
sswealth and intelligence OF Louisi-
ana" seek an election at such hands?
If he does, and the impossible should
happen and he be elected, will he
reward the chiefs of this convention
by appointments TO Offices of honor
and emolument, or will be play the
part of an migrate and traitor to the
negroes, upon whose votes his politl-
cal fortunes rest?
The result of the convention,
Editor Martinez says, leaves the old
Republican party, i. e., the negro
and carpet-bag Republican party,
"in the hands of the worst political
sharks for the purpose of trading on
our, j. e., the negro votes, for the
next four years. Read that, Capt.
Pharr; put it in your pipe and
smoke it. The negro power is
turned over to You, 1t is true, but it
is trade. and if the negroes fulfill
their part of the obligation, or trade,
will you fulfill yours? They can
give you votes; they may perhaps
be the balance of power that may
make you governor. In that event,
what will you give them in return?
You will have nothing but the
Offices, which belong to the people
of Louisiana, and the salaries of
which are paid by the tax payers of
Louisiana, to give in return to the
black Republican leaders who are
engaged in dickering with you. Wei
contend that you must answer these
questions. You owe it to the negro
traders, whose votes you are seek
ing, to tell them whether you are
going to give them their stipulated
reward or price; and you owe it to
the white people of Louisiana to
tell them whether or not, in fulfill
inO vour mart Of this scaudalous