The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1899-07-15
STATE PRESS.
Items Of lnterest and What the
Newspapers Have to Say.

Catahouia News: The sug
gestiOn has been made that the
convict system of louisiana should
be made one of the questions of the
campaign for the selection Of SEN
aturs, and representatives next
year. The next Legislature will be
charged with the duty Of making
provision for the maintenance and
care Of the convicts. Heretofore
the convicts have been leased by
the State for fifty thousand dollars
per year, but this lease expires
March grid, 1901. The present
Constitution provides that after the
expiration of THIS lease the Leg
islature may authorize the en-
pIoyment under State supervision
and the proper officers and EN-
ployes of the State, of conviCts on
public roads or other public works,
or convict farms, or in manu-
factories owned 'r controlled by
the State, and no convict SEN
fenced Ito :ne State penitentiary
shall ever be leased or hired tn any
person or cOrpnra,iOn private or
public.
Opelousas Courier: Oucc for
all, we want it understood that we
have no sympathy with these dis:
credited Democrats when they
advise the people to go into com
bination outside of the party. The
evils complained of can and will be
corrected inside Of the Democratic
organization of the State. Since
the negro has been eliminated from
politics the Democratic party has
not had the chance to correct those
evils. The people, If we under
stand them, will turn with dis
approval from a campaign, embit-
tered by the riva!ries and ambition
of warning politicians. Let Us have
peace in Louisiana politics now that
the negro is no longer a disturbing
and irritating element.
Thibodeaux Sentinel: The Dem
ocratic party is equal to the oc
Casion, it can reform whatever
abuses may have crept INTO its party
methods and usages, without calling
outside aid. 1t may not do it to
the satisfaction of every one of its
members, that is human impOs-
sibility, but those who are no longer
in sympathy with its policy have
their remedy, when they fail TO
bring about the changes they de
sire. They can honorably with
draw from it's fold, and fight the
party in the open, like manly,
brave toes.
Mansfield Journals: AS the Journal
understands the situation, the move
ment which has been inaugurated is
not SO much in opposition to the
administration as to the system
which has grown up in the State,
largely since Governor Fosters
election. No one can dispute the
fact that the governor has given the
State clean and able all
ministration. But he has erected
in the Democratic party despotism
which has seriously injured the
party's prosperity and crippled its
influence. His appointees are
responsible to him and attach no
importance to their obligations to
the people. Under such system
corruption is bound to creep in the
lopse of time.
ST. Martin Messenger: We are
informed that the little meeting
held at Ca:ahoula last Sunday,
which was addressed by Senator K.
Martin, who is the father of the bill
creating the Industrial Institute,
and for which act the people of this
district will remember the able Sen
ator as long as this school will stand
to educate and enlighten our
children, and which, In our
estimation, will prove the greatest
achievement Of his life. Mayor
Liable also addressed the meeting,
and after the matter had been