The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1899-08-19
FOR PRIMARIES

at Baton Rouge last Tuesday and
expressed himself in favor of nomi-
mating a State ticket by primary in
stead Of convention. Senator Law
rason has taken the proper stand.
No aspirant to political honrrs
should be unwilling to go before
the people. The man who is afraid
of the popular vote teels that he is
weak and wants to get through
trickery and dickering what he can
not obtain by fair aud popular
methods. He believes that he is
not wanted by the electors and he
and wire puller for success. The
man who proclaims his views upon
prevailing public questions and sub
mits his claims to the plain voters
in his party, shows his faith in free
government and is entitled 10 an
earnest and respectful hearing at
the hands of those who believe in
the simple Democracy of the fathers.
The Gazette does not know Senator
Lawrason, but it is pleased to note
that he is advocating correct prin
ciples Of Democracy and .felicitates
him upon his clear-cut utterances
on the subjec: of primaries. Con
ventions seldom represent the peo-
pie. Its nominations are too often
and the welfare of the common
wealth is lost sight of in the dis
graceful cabals of the leaders
During the early days of the Re
public presidential nomina atoms
were made by caucuses composed
of members OF Congress, but soon
the intrigue and corruption prac-
ticed in m king caucus nominations
beca intOlerable and this means
was dropped and for it was substi
tuted another mode-that of con-
from the different States. The fol-
lowing are the views Of Thomas H.
Benton, OF Missouri, on the subject
of conventions:
'srhis quickly degenerated, and
became obnoxious to all the OBJ
iections to Congress caucus nomi-
nations, and manv others besides.
Persons attended as delegates who
had no constituency. Delegates
attended upon equivocal appoint
ments Double sets of delegates
sometimes came from the State and
either were admitted or rePulsed as
suited the views of the majority.
Proxies were invented. Many del
esates attended with the sole view
of establishing claim for Office,
and voted accordingly. The two
thirds rule Was invented to enable
the minority to control the ma nrity;
and the whole proceedings became
anomalous and irresponsible, and
subscribing OF the will of the people.
leaving them no more control over
the nominate than the subjects Of
kings have over the birth Of the
child which is born to rule over
them.'
What was true of national con
ventions during the time of Bento on,
is true of the State conventions Of
TO- day. The evils of which the
great Democrat wrote exist at the
present day in an aggravated form.
They are just as obstructive to the
rights and sovereignty Of the people,
and to the purity Of elections" as
they ever were.
In this State the parish Of Or
leans, which is generally repre-
sented by delegates under the alb
solute control of two or three bosses,
can, by combining with a few
populous parishes, dictate all the
Democratic nominations. Will any
one dare say that the choice of such
a combination is the choice OF the
Democratic party of louisiana
We have attended one State nomi-
mating convention and although not
word could have been uttered
against it's regularity, its proceed
ings seemed more like the operation
Of large and well-greased machine
than the expressions Of the assem-
bled representatives of the g-andest
political organization Of a great and
glorious State. 1t was all done
with cvch SvnchronDrS nrIav th,,