The Louisiana populist. [volume] (Natchitoches, Natchitoches Parish, La.) 1894-1898, 1896-05-22
RetrOspectiOn and &c PROPOSE
lion.
Ed. Populist

The smoke of the battle In
cleared away and we can now lool
over the field and see the humble
left among the slain, and examin,
those who are sorely wounded, anC
cogitate as to the causes that wen
to make up the result. We have
been charged as being party
made up of oflice-hunters, anc
while there are not half as many il
our ranks in proportion to the vo.
tiers as in the old parties, yet the
fact that there were too many OF
that class, had much to do with
the result of the late election in
our State. -
There are many parishes in the
State that should have given a large
majority for governor and legisla-
ture that only made proof that
greed for local Office will destroy
the chances of any great reform
movement where this greed is per-
mitted.t to control. Our sister par
ishes of Sabine, Vernon, Lincoln
and Union, are illustrations of
what can be done in disrupting a
party in the scramble for local Of
fees. Our people as party are
for great National and State re-
forms, and not the vehicles through
which certain individuals shall be
put into Office, and made to draw
fat salaries. u
Change of Office from one setof
men to another is not the object.
but comes only incidently. The
Offices must be filled, and we want
them filed with friends to our
cause, but when it comes about
that the struggle between these
friends has the tendency to weaken
and destroy u.s., it would be much
better for reform if there were no
offices for which to struggle. Sa-
bin should have given the State
ticket 800 or 900 majority at the
very lowest. Vernon should have
done almost as well, Lincoln could
have given 1000. Union as much
Dr. more. Several other parishes
failed to elect their members to the
egisturc from our party simply
there was a struggle for
Ocal Offices which brought on di-
7ision, dissention and defeat.
Now Mr.. President. 81 move"
hat we add one more plank to our
platform, and it is this. "No man
hall seek local office of emolument |
nut await the call from the people,
nd as soon as it is known that any
member of the Peoples party is
Waiting for such call, he be re-
Iuired to resign from any position
e may hold on any of its various
ommittees, and that thereafter he
hall be debarred from acting in
'arty official capacity until he is
lected to Office, or his defeat for
UGH Office be officially promulga-
3D."
This would place any man de-
ring to be a candidate in such a
osition that his personal interests
/ his own election could not en-
anger the success of the party,
IF he would no longer have any
DICE in its councils. Then the
arty after its nominations are {
lade should be as honorable as all {
her parties are, and stand by its
,minees. There are some politi- 6
j organizations that debar any
their members from running @
= Office of any character, for {
ey hold their members solidly to- /
'ther, prepared to cast their
rength solidly for either of two 7
ndidates put up by other party '
CARNATIONS or for an independ- /
t. This plan if adopted by us i
light work well for us as State ]
d National party, but we need {
rf of fho elective macbinorv nm