New-York tribune., 1901-02-03
SMALL HOPE IN LOUISIANA.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: | deem il advisable to premise such observa-
tions as your request seems 10 demand by a brief
statement OF the position OF The Item" For
take It that it the views Of the paper and not
my own that are desired The Item is indie
pendent in the full Of the term upon all local
issues, but upon questions Of National importance.
believing In sound money and protection. is gen
orally in sympathy with the policies of the Repub-
ncan party II is not in touch with the Democratic
State administration nor identified with either of
the wings into which the Republican party
here is divided From such coigne Of vantage It
undertakes. without partisan bias. TO serve the
public interest and to promote the progress and
prosperity OF this section. / may be mistaken but
I indulge in the conviction that in far as this
State is concerned the opinions of The Item
may be accepted dispassonate and free from
prejudice.
The disfranchisement Of the negro declared in
the Louisiana Constitution OF 1855 to become
effective only sitter December 81 of that year,
but by the voluntary action OF the colOred race
II Was practically made operative upon the adOp-
tion of the new suffrage enactments. Immediately
after the Incorporation into the organic law of
these proscriptive provisions, the opinion very
largely entertained that the long expected op-
pOrtunity for the organization Of powerful white
Republican party had at last been afforded. In
fact, the enthusiastic predictions OF The Tribunes
Birmingham correspondent sound like mere echoes
Of the forecasts here.
Nearly quarter Of century OF undisputed
domination had encouraged the Democratic
bosses to abandon the conservative and economic
policies which popuarized the terms Of Wilt,
Nichols and McEhery, and by insidious but
steady extension 10 strengthen the power and
patronage of the Executive and a
chine, with the Governor its head. which abso-
lutely controlled the selection of public officers.
Without undertaking enumerate the causes. it
may be stated a fact that in both 1896 and 1899
q majority of the white people OF the State was
opposed to the Democratic party. its methods and
its abuses But, extended as was the dissatsfac-
uon which existed. the opposition lacked cohesion
and there platform upon which its irrecon-
ciiable elements could be united. AS a consequence
the recalCitrants either abstained from voting or
preferred Democracy 10 Wimberly Marmoth.
An effort was made TO organize white Repub-
hcan party. This effort instead OF meeting encour
agement at the hands of the Administration. was
Intentionally Disseminated against through the
machlnatons OF the remnant Of the old Carpet Bag
regime aided and abetted by Senator Hanna ana
An appeal TO the electorate readily Indicated that
the vast majority OF the Republican party-if so
gard to so slight a vote-was allied with the fac
Lion commonly DESIGNATED as the Sugar Planters -
recognition at Philadelphia, but were subsequently
II would be impossible convey any adequate
impression Of the bitterness of the enmity pro-
voked by the carpet baggers during the nine years
OF their disastrous rule, or the strength with
which it has endured No party in which War
noln OF htloss Is estimated i5clor can attrae'
10 its support any but Interested followers. The
s11gar tapJc 40 li MI, "a 'i c@ountIls @ oi In: Inc
that the Republican, Of the sugar and rice pro-
aloof from their ranks every other disaTeoted ele-
ment. On the other hand. Kellogg's influence at
Washington and the favor accorded the carpet bag
and negro coalition which Is entrenched in the
Custom House has created the impression that the
Administration is arrayed against the better seui
the people Of the South.
Under such conditions IL may readily be apprc-
ciated that sane man looks hopefully forward
to the redemption OF Louisiana, even TO the
alignment OF the section which depends upon pro-
lection with the party that supplies IL.
These some among the that have con
tributed 20 the sorry showing made by the Repub-
hcans OF this section the polls But even IN
party organization were established to which the
people could be induced to rally. merely the first
step would be taken in the contest which IS ex-
pected TO be followed by a breaking up Of the
Solid South"
So long as the present iniquitous election laws
continue TO disgrace statute books there is not
the remotest chance Of turning out the machine
The people vote. but the Governors appointees
control the result Not until the disgruntlei ele-
ments that oppose Democracy as practised in this
State shall have made common cause against ele-
ton methods which devised throttle any fair
expression OF the popular Will can we hone for
that peaceful revolution which alone AFFORD us
relief
The new Constitution makes il impossible for the
Governor 20 succeed himself There is a possI-
bility that falling out over the spoils NAV vet
disrupt the local Democracy. In this-not I'm The
upbuilding OF a white Republican party-lies as vet
the one hope OF the opposition.
LIONEL ADAMS,
Managing Editor of The Daily Item q"
New-Orleans Jan. p, 1901