The Opelousas courier., 1902-09-06
Proceedings of the Democratic ExceH-
tive Committee of the Seventh Con-
gressiOmal Dist. of Louisiana.
Rooms Democratic Congressional Executive
Committee for the Seventh District of
Louisiana:


by the State Central Committee on July %
1902. Hon. L. l.. Smart called the committee
TO order, and on motion of Mr.. p. s. Pugh. OF
Acadia, the committee at once proceeded to
.nrmanently organize.
r.Jn. L. E. Smart was elected permanent
chairman by acclamation, and Mr.. +. b. Du
buison secretary, in like manner.
The roll was then called, and the following
properly accredited members of the committee
answered to their names: L. f. Smart, mem
ber-at- large; Acadia, Z. S. Jugh Avoyelles,
G. II. Courllon; Calcasleu. Joseph Moore;
Cameron, Anguste Pavell; Grant, z. Ii Teal;
Rapides. j. c. Wise. proxy, John &. Blackman;
st. Landry, L. B. Dubuisson, and Vernon. w.
II. Smart. All present in person or by proxy.
Mr.. Joseph Moore OF CalCasleu offered q set
of resolutions providing for the nomination of
a Democratic candidate for the Seventh Con
gresslonal District, which, after having been
read section by section, discussed and amend
ed, were duly adopted as a whole as follows:
Resolved, !. That the nomination of Demo-
cratic candidate for Congress for the Seventh
District of Louisiana be made by primary cleo
tion conducted OH the same day throughout
the district at the polling places established by
law in the several parishes.
2. That this primary election shall be held on
the l1th day OF September, 1902, and
that the polls be opened not earlier than eight
o'clock a. ln., and closed at five p. M, except
i'll incorporated towns, whero the polls shall
remain open until seven p. ILL.,
g. That the candidates for the Democratic
nomination be voted for direct. each qualified
voter casting one vote for tho man of his
choice, and the candidate receiving the major
ity of the votes cast shall be declared the reg
ular nominee of the Democratic party for Con-
gress.
L. That none but white Democrats who are
who have paid their poll taxes for
the year 1900. prior to the first day of January,
1901, and for the year 1901 prior to the first day
Of January, 1902, and who are otherwise quail
fed to vote under the constitution and laws of
this State, shall be permitted to vote at said
primary, provided that the poll tax Qualitca-
in lh n apnlV tO npraOnS six
of age and to those who have reached the age
Of twenty-One since January l, 1902; and, pro-
vided further, that for those who have reached
the age OF twenty -one during the year 1901 the
poll tax requirement shall apply for that year
only. No evidence of the payment of the poll
tax as above provided, except the tax collec-
tors receipt or certificate shall he received,
but the affidavit of the voter shall be sufficient
evidence of his age. In case of challenge the
voter may establish all the other qualifications
erein provided for by affidavit. Should a
voter be challenged and lie establishes his
qualifcat ton by affidavit, the same shall he re-
duced to writing, be pinned to his ballot, and
in the ballot-box Herewith.
S. That the Democratic Parish Executive
Committee of the several parishes of the dis
trict shall appoint not less than three nor more
than five commissioners of election for each
polling place; that in the choice Of commission
ers of election the candidates for congress or
their friends shall be consulted, and repre-
sentative of each candidate appointed as com
missioner at each polling place if practicable.
The commissioners OF election shall be white
Democrats, and shall be duly qualified electors
of the polling place for which they are selected,
and before entering upon the discharge of their
duties, shall be duly sworn in the manner pro-
vided by law to faithfully, honestly and impair
TALLY conduct the election.
6. That the Parish Democratic Executive
Committee of each parish shall have charge of
the arrangements for conducting said primary
election in their respective parishes under the
rules herein provided, and they shall provide
ballot boxes and see to their transmission to
the polling places.
7. That the several clerks of cour5 of the par
ishes in the district be requested to furnish the
regular ballot boxes for the primary, but in
the event of their failure to comply with this
the commissioners are hereby author
lied to imprOvise boxes.
g. That IL the election officers, or any of them
appointed to conduct tho election at any poll
ing place be not present at the hour fixed for
the opening of tho polls, then ii one election
be present, he shall choose an
other, and together they shall choose q third.
II no election commissioner be present at the
hour for the opening of the polls, the voters
present shall, after waiting an hour, select
from among themselves three election COM
whose selection shall be made in
accordance with article five of these resolu-
tions.
Of those voting shall be kept, numbered con-
secutively in the order in which they vote
10. That Immediately after closing the polls
the boxes shall be opened and the ballots
tally of the votes kept and duplicate returns
made out and signed and duly sworn to by the
IL. That sufficient return of the election
shall be statement in writing, made in dupli-
cate, signed by the commissioners, of the total
number of votes cast at the polls and the num-
ber actually cast for each candidate, accom-
panied by the tally sheets and lists of voters,
also in duplicate. This statement shall be
sworn to as correct by the commissioners.
10. That one copy of tha tally sheets and list
of voters herein provided for shall be delivered
by the commissioners to the chairman or sec
retary of the Democratic Parish Executive
Committee, and the other transmitted by mail
to the secretary of the Democratic Congress
sional District Executive Committee, at Ope-
lousas. La. The commissioners, after counting
boxes which they shall lock and seal and de-
post with the clerks OF court of their respective
parishes.
1s. That on Tuesday, September 16, 1902, at
O'Clock D. M, the Congressional Executive
shall meet at Crowley, La, for the
purpose of ascertainlng and declaring the re-
the Congressional Committee shall produce the
return mailed to him, and the vote shall he can
yassed and the result ascertained and formally
The chairman and secretary OF
the Congressional Committee shall certify the
result of the canvass to the Secretary of State,
and name the person nominated.
IA. That at the said primary election the vot-
ers participating therein shall in each parish
the Congressional Executive Committee, and
three members at large TO serve for the ensuing
two years. Returns OF election for such mem
bers shall be made i'll the same manner as for
con gressional candidates, and the votes can
yassed and the result declared, as in the case
of the congressional candidates.
49, That il it appears from the canvass of the
votes by the Executive Committee that no can
didate has received majority of the votes cast
in this primary, then q second primary shall be
held in the district OH Wednesday, September
"a 1902 at which the two candidates receiving
the highest number of votes at the first primary
shall be the candidates, and none Others The
second primary shall be conducted by the
same officers, in the same manner, and under
the same rules as the first primary herein pro-
vided. The present Congressional Executive
Committee shall meet and compile the vote, in
case second primary is necessary, at Alexan-
dria, La, On Monday, September 20, 1902, at /
D. nj. In the case of the election OF the mem.
bers of the Congressional Committee from the
several parishes ami from the district at large
plurality vote shall elect and a majority vote
shall not be required.
16. That all Democratic newspapers of the
district be requested to publish the resolutions
of this committee in full IN each issue until the
election shall have taken place; that the sew
eraI clerks of court of the several parishes OF
the district be requested to furnish the regular
ballot boxes for the primary, and that the as
SCISSORS in the district be requested to furnish
the commissioners at each polling place with q
list of the registered voters,
II. That the sheIlffs of the different parishes
be requested TO furnish to the commissioners
of each voting precinct i'll their respective par
ishes certified list of those voters, residents
of each ward wherein the precinct is situated
W ho have paid their poll taxes for the years
1900 and 1901 prior to January j, 1901 and 1852
respectively.
1s. That the candidates for congress at sait
primary be required to hand in their names Il
the secretary of this committee on or before
the 25th of August, 1902, and after that date III
candidate can enter said primary; that TIN
FOIL td0fn hall
ticket In alphabetical order. and the voter
shall erase the names of all the candidates ex
eept the ono voted for; that the secretary o
this committee shall Immediately after TIN
9kth of August cause one hundred thnusan.