The Opelousas courier., 1899-07-08
The Rayville Meeting.

tics of the State. 1t seems te
have been simply an explosion OF
personal wrath, in which both Sen
ator McEnery and Lieut.. Gov.
Snyder prudsntly declined to take
part. The main speakers were
Senator Caffery and Col. Boat
ner, both Of whom delivered care
fully prepared phillipics against
the present order of things. all
directed against Gov. Foster per-
sonally, though neither of them
mentioned his name.
The COURIER as is we'll known
Is not a supporter Of Gov. Foster
and has freely censured him in
the past and does not assume the
role of a champion of his. In
deed, If he needs defenders at
the present time against the at
tacks of the Rayville speakers it
seems to us they should easily be
found among the many here who
have received benefits at his
hands. 1t should be Il grateful
task, for instance, for some
OF his petted and pambered
organs to take up the cud-
gel in his defense as some
slight recognition Of the many fat
things they have enjoyed from the
Governcr's appointees, while the
COURIER was being denied all
participation in official patronage.
But while we owe no thanks to
the Governor or his supporters
here, we have no sympathy what
ever with the criticisms heaped
upon his devoted head by Messrs.
Caffery and Boatner for evils
which, if they exist, are part and
parcel Of the system which had its
origin in previous administrations,
and which were handed down to
him in all their perfection. No
tably so in the Fifth Congression-
al District where fraud and sup
preston Of election returns was
4 confirmed practice long before
Gov. Foster took the helm of the
State. Indeed, such practices
have been such lively adjuncts in
securing Mr.. Boatner his several
elections to Congress that it
would seem that common decency
should stop him from touching
that subject. In one instance the
fraud used in his behalf was too
strong for the stomach of Con-
gress, which ousted him from his
seat and annulled his election.
He himself is we'll tarred with the
stick with which be seeks to be-
smirch the Governor. We are
told also that he was at Baton
Rouge during the contest over the
count of the vote of the last State
election, in constant conference
with Gov. Foster, and using all his
influence with the members of the |
against going behind |
the returns. With what grace can
he now charge that body with
the. Governors collar,
and not daring TO look into the re-
turns to ascertain the real result.
Only recently, too, he was an ap-
plicant to Gov. Foster for the va
cancy on the Supreme Bench
caused by Judge Miller's death,
and we think it quite likely that
if he had received the appoint
ment he would now be a defend
er instead of an enemy of Gov.
Foster.
As to Senator Caffery, his de-
of the Governor comes
with still worse grace. He is the
heaviest debtor in the State adj
which he so severely
arraigned; for he received his
to the Senate at the
hands of Gov. Foster and the lat
ter brought to bear all his power
and influence subsequently to Sc
cure his election by the Legisla-
Lure. No matter how great man
may be, he can never divest him
self Of the obligations of common
gratitude, and Of all men in the
State Mr.. Caffery should have
been the last to make such an at
tack upon Gov. Foster in our
opinion.
The words of both speakers inn
press us as prompted rather by
personal rivalry in the strife for
political honors than from prin-
:iple. As for us, we deprecate
out upon the campaign
1pon any such low plane. We
lad enough of that sort of thing
luring the last election to last for
! generation. The people have
he right to expect better things
rom these able men and would
,e leaders. All that they said
vas equally we'll said in the Pop
list and Republican press of the
State during the last campaign, and
Nessrs. Caffery and Boatner are
mistaken we think, when they as
ume that they can revive the ex-
and worn out issues OF
hat memorable campaign. As
or Mr.. Caffsry, he denounced and
the Chicago platform
nd its nominations, calling the