The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1898-04-09
Something to Ponder.

The Crowley Signal of the 2nd Inst
contains an article (Editional of
course) entitled "Disgrdce to Louisiana. y
which we fully indorse. 1t is pregnant
with pungent criticisms upon the doings
| OF our State Convention. 1t deals with
| great severity with the 5th Section of
the suffrage clause and in substance
says, it is no better thar a political trap,
which dlscriminates against the native
| citizens to favor the descendants of the
foreign born. 1t declares that the rot
tenness of the measure has permeated
the atmosphere OF the entire Conven-
ton" Our neighbor denies that t!,e
delegates have done anything to purfy
we agree with him fully. Whilst he
purifying Of elections has been ,he
shibboleth of the politicians and ION
summation devoutly wished for by every
honest and honorable man,-the con
vention has but m,de what was bad
considerably worse.
1t has muddled the matter so a,5omin-
ably that nothing satisfactory'ean be
made of it.
The delegates are in a great part as
little qualified to grapp!e with and, sys
tematize the suffrage question IA they
are to read the poems of Heriod, and
Homer in the Greek language, for the
reason that they know nothing about
1T.
They did know when they were elect
ed that the masses Of the people requlr-
ed them to frame better lar than we
had. They must know, if they deign to
read the comments of the Louisiana
Press, that what they have done is
not what their constituents sent them
there to do.
That it is objected to by nine tenth
of the people as abominable, because
insulting tn the average intelligence.
The T. d. too, has not been back
ward in denouncing their work as
Incompatible with the Inherent rights
and expectations Of the people. The
opinion prevails, and we share in it.
that, through ign"rance, or design.
very large majority of the convention
have no idea Of what "a constitution
should be, and are led consequently,
by IA half dozen willy politicians who
entangle them in the meshes designed
for their own future Dreferment. In
short, the Convention has done worse
than nothing. They have done notil-
ing to avoid corruption in elections.
but Oh the contrary, much to
facilitate it. All that has been done
tends to paralyze the power of the peo-
pie aud to fortlfy the corruption OF
politicians in the manipulation of
elections
The people are not altogether blame
less for this condition of thinge. They
were warned repeatedly, and among
others. by ourselves, that the tormNlon
of Constitution was not matter of
party consideratlnn-t hat the peacn and
prosperity of the people required the
selection Of capable men, Independents
men, and fearless men as delegates to a
Constitutional Convention. But they
heedlessly listened to. and as usual gave
their support. .men who babbled of
Democracy whilst they stood and now
stand ready to serve party leaders and
only that. They clamor about the in
sufficency of the public school facili-
tiles, and yet do nothing TO meet their
paIpable necessities, because they ap-
prehend that such IL measure might
prove unpopular. They fail to secure
the inalienabIe and indefeasible rights
of the native born citizen, and make
discriminating and special provision for
the protection of the privileges of the
foreign born. And why9 simply be-
cause that element is strong and must
therefore be piacated.