The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1896-05-30
A Little Off.

vations touching our status as jour
1laaalist which it is proper for us to notice
It says this paper has become full
tleged Pharr organ. If this were tru
we would not shrink from the respOn
sibility snch Il position might briD,
with it, But in the sense intended t.
be conveyed by the Creole American
it is not true. 1t is laboring under TIN
delusion of fault finding imagination
Capt Pharr AS a candidate represented
certain issues, which the factions o.
parties nominating him raised and pre-
sented to the voters of Louisiana in tn,
that we approved or indorsed all o
them. We believed he was at least al
honest man, and that the governmet il
his hands would be run in the interest o
the entire people. We had ample proc
that Foster, officially, had been born o.
political corruption and that he sough
to perpetuate himself and his ardent
coadjutors in power by it. 10 all ht
proposed, we discovered nothing truly
Democratic. In one parish he used the
negro, in another did all he could to vi
olently deprive him of his constitution
al rights-ali tho while prating of white
supremacy. He and his supporters act
ed on the principle that negro was
white if be was with them, and black il
he voted for their opponents. We ven.
| tured to think. without consulting his
frauduIency, or his henchmen, that he
is negro in every parish, or an Ameri-
can citizen in the fullest political sense
Of the word. We are unskilled and un-
tutOred in that system of arithmetic
missioners of elections adopt, and by
the use of which they return a majority
for Foster of 2939 white votes, where
the census gives only about 500 white
| men in the parish. The Creole Ameri-
| can is possibly acquainted with it. and
may know something of the Foster
Democracy and white supremacy, 10y
which such conclusions are patriOtically
and constitutionally and legally arrived
at. 1t berates us fearfully for daring
to suggest that the results of the late
election should not be disturbed, except
as to the Governor and other State Off
GERS. We remembered that the COnsti-
tutional Convention of 1879, while de-
capitatiDg all the other officers elected
in 1876, carefully excepted that immac-
ulate and model Democrat, L. A.
Burke, permitting him to hold over. We
thought some such action was still
feasible, nor has the Creole American
journal says the chosen candidates in
st. Landry were elected by solid ne
gro vote, backed 10y few white lead
ers; that the defeated candidate for
sheriff received about two tIlirds!of the
white vote OF the parish. From this
specimen, we suspect our contemporary
has studied the system of arithmetic
practiced by the Avoyeiles, Bossier,
Caddo, Concordia, East Carroll, Rap
ides, Tensas and other commissioners
Of elections. This parish has in round
numbers about $500 white votes. If
Mr.. Fontenot received two-tllirds of
them, he should have had 1884 votes.
He refTited 1898. This is very small
Difference, and we make no point on it !;
but when the American assumes that
no negroes voted for him, he ishyide of
the mark. Just how many did, " are
not able to say, but that many didRis
not an open question. Supposing, how
ever, that Mr.. Deshotels received the
other third of the white votes, he got
1856. Add to this the solid negro
vote, 1000. and he should have received
5266 votes, whereas, in fact, he received
2739 votes in the parish. Everyone who
we'll that not less than three-fourths of
the negroes in St. Landry were prevent
ed FROM registering and Of course did
not vote. In the eye Of the American the
forcible prevention Of the negroes from
registering was Democratic because re-
belliOus to constitutional law. In 1892,
Mr.. Fontenot got his full share of the
1000 negro votes and went into Office
because he got them. 1t may be the
American thinks the Ethiopian was
white then and has changed his skin
since It is said 10y many that a new
election law is wanted, and why? Is
not the present good one if honestly
Who has had the ad-
ministration OF it for the last twenty
years? Need we say Democrats
Whence then all the corruption? Is
genuine Democracy made of such stuff
Ii the lately elected officers have been
legally elected, why oust them We do
not cry fraud because we are defeated,
not by any meas. We have been sue
cessful locally, but accomplished it by
fighting fraud We dent want to have
it to fight at every election. The
would defeat the Constitu-
State ticket was elected by fraud and
has reason to believe that in the pres
ent state Of the public mind, it cannot
be done again soon. There are many
minor officers who have by fraud been
returned elected, and there are some
that were honestly elected. Such
were the officers in St. Landry.
1t by no means follows that because
were voted for by negroes
that they were fraudulently elected.
The converse of the proposition is true,
and there are some in other parishes
who were returned elected who pro-
vented voters from exercising their
right to vote. Such
should be put out of office, for they are
the product of rebellion to all law oD
the subject. The Creole American says
we are drifting to the Republican
camp. Whilst we do not admit it. we
may say that il the Democratic party
has drifted into rebellion, violence and
frauds for the sake of continuing itself
in power, the editor of the Creole Amer
ican would do we'll to go back to his
first love. We do not propose to pub
lisE Pharr organ, but are determined
paper. IL those calling themselves
Democrats dare to lie-periure them
selves and steal, and it comes to our
We intend to expose, not
glaze over their crimes and corruption
by telling our readers it is Democracy.
The principles of civil liberty always
run parallel with, and never across. the
provisions of truly Republican Con-
stitution. We have such an one, and
shot guns and ballot box stnffing are
not needed to give it vitality.
If the maintenance of this doctrine be
the filling up of the hiatus between the
Creole Americans Democracy and
Grandma Pharr's position, our friend
can make the most of it.
On Thursday the Louisiana Legisla-
IL