New Iberia enterprise. (New Iberia, La.) 1885-1902, 1898-12-03
ON WITH THE FIGHT!

The result of the late election in Cal
ifornia shows tho tremendous power O
corporate influences in the politics o
our state. Never before were those IN
huences so boldly, openly aud motor
iousy used There was no coucpalmnn,
about it, and it was perfectly understood
by every intelligent man
II was just such n fight rs have lone
wished for. believing that tho people. II
given the opportunity. would strongly
support the principle of equal rights and
rebuke the persistent and corrupt intc,
ference Of corporate monopolies in onr
politics. So strongly was ! fixed IN this
opinion that refused TO enter upon any
discussion of collateral questions. even
when falsely assailed personally hy the
agents and other representatives Of the
common enemy, lest such collateral dis
eussion should obscure the maine issue
Those who shared this opinion with mc
were all mistaken as to the extent of the
public sentiment which we represented
A majority of the people believe in the
expiedency of continuing unchecked and
unlimited the present monopoly dominion
over our industrial and commercial systems
and even over our political institutions
II is idle to talk about Contributing
causes however much they may have
affected the result. because no such in
cidental causes could have operated
effectively if the people had properly ap
preeiatcd the importance of the main
issue
All this is disappointing. but it must
not discourage rs More than 100. 900 Of
our people have shown right spirit and
judgment. Let them go on recruiting the
ranks of truth from the hosts of error. aud
soon they will constitute mighty ma
jority against which corruption and
folly will bribe and lie and rail in vain
and which will stand immovably for more
radical and more enduring reforms than
those for which we stood in tho last cam
paign.
Let us remember that tho new demo
cracy is very young, although its princi
pies are very old Let us remember that
t has been an organized force for only
.wo years and that in the ranks of it's
nominal supporters have been thousands
IF tories who dread ito principles and who
rope that by repeated reverses the party
nay be driven back to opportunism. to
hat long maintained compromise with
under which the privileged in
erests will contribute to the campaign
unds of both parties and be satisfied with
he success of either These men did not &.
ote our ticket. They remained with us
for the mere purpose of occupy |
ng position of advantage in the hour of $
xpected reaction. That hour, in my G
pinion, will never come.
In the fight for principle. victories and
efeats are butincidents.s After The first
efeat, In 18BG, we advanced instead of
and we shall do SO again. As
he reactionists leave us we may expect
no real friends Of liberty and justice the !.
sal disciples OF Abraham Lincoln-to
Dme to us from the other side. Move
tents such as ours never go backward O
nd they never fail of ultimate success. II
Let us go on, undsmayod by the power %
corruption, and undaunted by defeat q
nd we shall live to see 'today's little II
ct'ry of Error, foiled by tomorrow S K
eat triumph of Right - Jamts q. b
dgnire, in the San Francisco Star. i,