The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1899-10-28
THE PILETZE MEETING

form or proclaim sort OF con-
fession of faith. For that reason
we had expected the gentlemen who
tell us they are engaged in re-
form movement to set forth in a
platform their intentions and pur-
poses, but we were doomed to dis
appointment. They met at Pilette
last Saturday and what their object
is further than a pass at the Offices,
deponent sayeth not. We have
not a word as to their grievances
and we are compelled to gr.pe in
utter darkness when endeavoring to
ascertain the nature Of the great re
forms they SO glibly promise the
dear people. 1t is true the speakers
spoke of bosses and machines and
various other kinds of horrid
things, and even intimated that
certain estimable leader of
the local Democracy was guilty Of
all the crimes in the political deca
logue, excepting perhaps the blow
ing up of the Maine and the con-
nothing more than reckless and
foolish arraignment, unfounded in
reason or justice.
If the Pilette meeting had been
one political party its failure to
adopt some kind of a platform
might have been overlooked, and it
might have been advanced with rea-
son that il was useless to proclaim
the principles of the party they
were already well-known by all.
But it was not the case at Pilette.
The meeting was held pursuant to
a call inviting men of all parties
who had not committed the mon
strous crime Of sympa:hizing with
the present Democratic administra
ton of this parish. 1t mattered
not if you were Republican,; it
mattered not # you were Populist; it
mattered not if you were an avowed
political nondescript; it mattered
not what you were and who you
were. What secured admission to
the Pilette conClave was deep
rooted and implacable an;ipathy TO
the present administration. One
unacquainted with the methods OF
the reformers would have been led
to believe that some fearful de-
movement was in store for the op-
posite party, that some terrible plot
against the liberties of the people
had been unearthed, but nothing of
the kind has happened. They
simply went to Pilette, divided the
several prospective plums among
themselves, and without telling the
people what they wanted besides
the offices, adjourned and went
home.
When men of different political
parties get together to nominate a
ticket they can hardly expect to re-
ceive the endorsement of the people
unless they are able to show that
they are engaged in bringing about
some much needed reform, but
when men, who are not allied by
any common principle but are
simply held together by the cohesive
power of self-interest, seek to carry
movement to successful end
they display very poor political
judgment, for they are invariably
doomed to defeat.
According to the published call
the Pilette meeting was not Demo
cratic. To it was invited all white
men opposed to the parish aImnis
trauion, and we are presented with
the strange spectacle of ii ket,
chosen by non partisan assem- bly,
composed partially of Republicans,
and running before a Democratic
primary to be ordered by Demo
cratic committee. Here we Fave a
ticket without party, wit,:out a
platform, selected by meeting
whose political complexion Vet re
mains an unknown quantity. seek
ing the votes Of Democrats at
Democratic primaries 1t was Sc
lected partly by Republicans and
now it has the cool audacity to ask