The Banner-Democrat., 1899-03-11
THE POLITICAL FORECAST.

Hon. Col. ID. Hicks OF the Shreye-
port Progress, gives the following
political forecast:
The State political situation, like
the Kaleidoscope. changes Its form at
every turn of the cylender in which
the factors which compose the
mechanicism is inclosed.
If we mistake not, the would-be
leaders, like the school-boy wrest-
ling with hard sum, have rubbed
the figures off of the slate and COM
menced all over again, many times.
There is no doubt in The Progress
mind but that at present the X. H..
SNYDER stock at the gubernatoral
market exchanges is gradually rising
and by convention time may be at
par.
However IT is difficult to tell who
will land on the limb which contains
the ripe pe-simmon; or rather who
will succeed in basketing that per-
simmon. From our point OF view
Captain j. Nj. Foster is coming to
the front as a. formidable candidate.
True he and Governor Snyder are
from North Louisiana, and that would
ordinarily weaken both. But if there
is to be an Administration and Anti
administration contest; those usual
objections would not prevail. If
Senator McEnery should refuse to
stand for governor as against Cover
nor Snyder, and be willing to go
back to the Senate with Hon. Walter
d. Dengere as running mute; then
this combination, McEnery aud
Denegre for the Senate; X. III. Sny-
der for governor, would be and ex-
ceedingly strong team.
Then the Administrations there
is to be such a ight-might oppose
this with this combination. Cover
nor Foster and Hon. Andrew Price
for the Senate; Hon. j. NJ. Foster
for governor.
The Progress appreciates the fact
that Captain Foster, left to his own
inclinatlons and wishes entirely,
would infinitely prefer to keep out of
such long and costly contest as this
would bring on; but there might be
influences brought to bear on him
which would prevail with him.
Iu The first place there are those
close to him who have grown tired of
his hard labor IN the interest of one
man, and they are beginning to think
1t time for him to either let these hot
enemy, making contests alone, or go
into them for himself.
Besides Captain Foster has changed
his methods Of warfare wonderfully
some think-and he now is trying
the effect of persuasion with the peo-
Pile. as opposed to his former mode
of attempting to drive. The result is
he is much more popular-personally
than he was four years ago; and
this added to parish pride, would
make 1t probable that Caddo parish
would give him her delegation.
Senator Lawrason, of East Felici-
ana, is another strong man, and so is
Auditor Heard But there is little
doubt in our minds but that Mr.. Sny-
der and Captain Foster are the two
rnen who are strongest in the public
mind, now; expressed or unex'
pressed.
OF course this theory of Snyder's
formidableness is based on the ides
that Senator McEnery either does moi
want to be governor again or thatshe
will not stand in "Bob" Snyder
way. If he does not enter the race
that would complicate matters il
Snyder's candidacy wonderfully.
Again; if McEnery has his little
hatchet as well sharpened for the
neck OF certain individual We know
of, or he is as anxious for that wor-
thy's scalp as some people seem to
imagine; he might combine with
Governor Foster for the Senate and
Bob Snyder for governor or may be
the thing might be arranged so as tc
list Captain Jim for that position and
induce Governor Bob to either ac'
cept the Attorney Generalship with
the promise of first place four years
hence; or give him Supreme Judge
ship; or let him succeed Hon. S. I.
Baird in Congress next time.
Some of these things may look un-
reasonable, but unaccountable and
seemingly impossible coalitions have
happened in politics.
For the benefit of our friend, Cata-
houla News, we will say that this is
not naming the ticket it asked the
Progress to name; because almost
anything that is straight and honest
will suit us.