The Opelousas courier., 1896-04-11
The st. Laedry Plan.

| The race troubles in St. Landry par
| lsh, over the registration and other pO-
| lltlcal questions, is the legitimate result
O1't@s teachings OF the combine candl-
date for governor aud is an object les
son to those citizens of the State who
love peace and abhor blood They
were brought about by designing white
| men, office seekers, who wish to ride
into position on the shoulders of the lg
nOrant and illiterate negroes at the OK
pense of white supremacy. Five lives
have already been sacrificed, and the
end is not yet. The white supremacy
faction has laid down the following
platform
The white men of st. Landry claim
that as the negro is purchasable po-
litlcal commodity, who will sell out
without regard to principle, they are
determined that the only way to pre-
vent themselves from being included in
the sale ls to take the manly plan and
prevent the consummation of an in
fanny that no brave people can stand.
They don't believe in ballOtb0y stutfing,
and are, therefore, compelled to take
this course to free themselves, and are
prepared to take all consequences
This is IL bold proceeding, and the
probability is that, unless there is a
reform in our suffrage laws. the same
state OF affairs will exist in most of the
parishes four years hence. Men will
contend that it is better to protect so
ciety from the evil effects of universal
suffrage in manly way than by means
OF fraud, such as false counting and
ballot box stutting. SO long as the
present conditions exist, there will be no
honesty in politics among office seek
ers and political partsans. The good
people will have little to do with the
management OF affairs further than to
vote. Even now they are compelled to
be IN qulescent state because of the
heavy llliterate vote, which in every
election causes such upheavals as those
in ST. Landry.
Unless way is found 10y which the
lllIterate vote can be got rid of, the
Democrats will become irrevocably di-
vided, and with the downfall OF their
white supremacy. The negro problem
is still unsettled. The struggle is re-
newed every four years. Blood is
spilled, and there is actual warfare.
These direful consequences spring from
the lust for office in selfish individuals.
and society and the good name of the
State suffer. Race troubles are the
70 and not the exception. The sane
tlty OF the ballot is destroyed among
those who do not appreciate the privi-
leges of freemen. The intelligent citi-
zenship of the State is not left free to
study the great economic questions of
the day and vote upon them from hon
est convictions because of fear of the
black, overhanging cloud of ignorance
which can be arrayed against them by
dishonest time-servers.
The last legislature prepared the way
for us to gain the desired end without
the use of either force or fraud. The
adoption of the suffrage amendment is
the panacea for our ills. The IIiterate
vote eliminated, the white people could
divide into factions with perfect safe
ty to the best interests OF the State
Political leaders would then be forced
to deal honestly with the people, for
they would have an intelligent constit-
uency to hold them responsible for
their acts. Offices could not be bought
SO openly, and poor man would stand
chance of preferment. The masses
could not be whipped into line by the
leaders of rings or cliques through fear
Of negro domination. The negro race
would be benefited because they have an
incentive to acquire, an education, and
encouragement to become thrifty and
frugal. The Populists would be benefit
ed because the bulk of this irresponsi-
BILE vote will always be usedtSo their dis
advantage. They never ca1 utilize it
against the men who now have it in
hand.
The suffrage question is by far the
most important of those now before the
people of Louisiana for solution, and it
is one that cannot be ignored. Sooner
or later decisive step must be taken in
the interest of pure ballot or revolu-
tion will be the result of our folly
Mansfield Democrat Journal.