The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-10-24
THE FORCE BILL.

The following euitoTiai taAeh
from the Baton Rouge Advocate
should be carefully read by those
Democrats who have gone after
false gods. We believe, that though
to-day they are opposed to the elect
ion of Bryan, they will think
of their error, and on the Sd of
November be true men to their
party and their friends:
Now that the nominations have
closed and the Democrats of Loulsi-
ana know just what they have to con-
tend with in the campaign in this
State, it is we'll that the closing
days of the fight should be filed
With the most active work in every
parish and as far as possible at
every precinct in Louisiana. Wheth-
er or not the goal for which they
are struggling is thoroughly known
to our people, 1t is nevertheless GER
tain that they know full well what
they are fighting against, and so
long as the deaths head of Re
publican force bill glows ominously
upon them, Democrats will never
cease to fight against anything that
savors of a Republican policy.
There are many persons in Louisiana
who do not feel thoroughly in line
with the Chicago platform and who
totally reject some of its teachings,
but in spite of this fact they will
support Mr.. Bryan because they be-
lieve in taking the highest cut to
accomplish the object they have in
view, and the only way by which
they can defeat Mckinley is to give
their votes TO Bryan.
The people of this State recognize
the fact that whatever other weighty
issues may be involved in this cam
paign, the question of home rule ap-
peals more strongly to the Anglo
Saxon heart than any other subject
that might be mentioned. Silver is
popular issue with large MAORI
ty of the Democrats of this State,
but in the estimation of every think
ing man, every lover OF his State,
even free silver compares to the
force bill as pigmy does to giant.
And the reason of this is plain,
withal, because of what use is
money to one who is deprived of
his liberty? What interest is there
in the discussion of abstract theories
of economics to people bereft of
their franchise and despoiled of
their autonomy? The protection
theories entertained by Mr.. McKin-
ly are bad enough, in all conscience
the idea that man or nation
can tax itself rich and prosperous
is vicious enough in theory, but bad
as this is, it Is not worthy of single
moments consideration as compared
with the Infamous plan of Federal
supervision at the polls which is a
necessary result of McKinley's sue
cess In this election.
"And do they sometimes smile?"
inquired the tyrant Gesler of his
proud captive, William Tell.
"Aye, when they do think of lib
erty," was Tells defiant answer
And so it is that the proposition to
enslave people, to ruthlessly take
away their autonomy as State and
to crush out their liberty as peo-
pile, is the proposition tia. provokes
the most desperate opposition among
people of all lands and nationalities.
And stripped of all metaphor and
reduced into plain everyday Eng
lish, this is the meaning of the force
bill for which McKinley's party
stands pre-eminently. They may
talk Of good government and the
supremacy of the law and all this
sort of thing, but we have seen
what this has meaut on too many
previous occasions. 1t will be re-
membered that nobody's theories
appeared more beautiful and no.
body was fairer of speech than was
Grant before the election; but kind
ly disposed as Grant was towards
the South, back of Grant was
Grants party, and the party was
more powerful than the man.
The bitter memories ofethat black
period still haunts the South like a
horrid nightmare and the atrocities
perpetrated under the forms of law
are enough even at this distant day
to make the stoutest heart quail.
That the same old spirit is in the
Republican party still one needs
only to refer to the desperate efforts
made during Harrison's administra-
ton to revive oiious statues under
which all this oppression was in
flicted upon the South, and to reflect
that President Harrison himself, one
Of the most conservative of Republi-