The Opelousas courier., 1896-04-11

Some people, we understand, have
affected surprise at the course of the ed
itOr Of this paper i'll this campaign, and
allege that they cannot see why lie is
standing shoulder to shoulder with L.
S. Fontenot. when he earnestly opposed
him in the last campaign. Such peo-
pie are either very ignorant, not only
of the rules OF action which guide hon
orabe and straightforward party men
but also of our humble political record,
or they are dishonest aud insincere in
their utterances.
We opposed the denomination of
Gov. Foster, but when the State Com
mittee met last October, and it became
evident that he would be the nominee
of the party, we ceased our opposition,
thereafter doing nothing to further his
nomination, but on the contrary still
hoping that man less obnoxious to Il
considerable element nf the party
would be nominated. When the men
from this parish who were known to be
opposed tU Gov. Foster went to Shreve
port last December with knife up
their sleeve and insincere protestatioDs
If friendship on their lips. we were
filed with uuutterable disgust. They
assisted in nominating him, but for the
we, having pn selfish interest to sub
serve, and recognizing the fact that up
on the success OF our party depended
the veal of the State. gave to him
and to the entire Democratic ticket our
earnest and steadfast support. That
support could not be efficient il not ex-
tended also to the men who are uphold
ing the integrity of the party organi
zation and actively supporting the
State ticket. Hence, obeylng the plain
dictates of common sense and follow
ing the rules which guide honest poll
tjcal action, we naturally found ourself
aligned with the men who are uphold
ing and strengthening the party organ
ization-a labor we ourself have been
unselftsl,ly engaged in since our early
manhood. T. s. Fontenot is among
these men, and although we differed in
the last campaign we now stand upon
common ground, both Iaboring for the
triumph OF Democracy aud white su-
nremacy, which are threatened to-day
as they never have been since the mem
yrable campaign Of 1876.
Resides, had we allowed the tender
ties of friendship or even the closer ties
of kinship to control our political
co,rse and had marched over to the Re-
nubiican camp, would not that very act
have been one OF qualification, want0n
biotting out of proud and consistent
Democratic recoEd9 In the stariess
night Of reconstruction. when this fair
land was in the deadly grasp Of the
carpet Dagger, the scalaWag and the
negro, and men who called themselves
..conservatives;' were preaching the fu
neral sermon OF the Democratic party
and sneering at the strict party men as
"Bourbons" and "Last Ditcbers," we
stood steadfastly by the flag until
through the persistent and unffagging
efforts of these same Bourbons "-it
waved in triumph over IL redeemed
State, and we have stood there ever
since. We stand there yet. We are a
"Bourbonn still.
fn the days that tried mems souls We
touched elbows with Z. S. Fontenot and
together we stormed the citadel OF War
moth and of Kellogg side by side we
fought and won most of the party's bat
Ties since and side by side we are again
marching on to victory!