The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1903-08-22
THE MEETING OF THE DEr1OCRAT.
&c STATE CENTRAL COM.
rUTTEE.

BY call published a few days
ago, Mr.. Kruttschnitt, Chairman
of the Democrat State Central
Committee, has called that body
together in the city OF New Or
leans on September 3rd. This is
much earlier than was indicated
by the Chairman himself only a
few weeks ago. This call is made
for the purpose OF deciding
whether we are to have a conFen.
ton or primary in the selection OF
our State officers. The primary
plan is being so strenuously de.
handed by the Democracy OF
the State, that in our opinion
we cannot see how the Com
mittee can take any unfavor-
able action as to primaries
for the nomination of State and
other officers. Should the Com
mittee fail to adopt the primary
election plan the effect will be
most disastrous to Democratic
harmony and unity throughout
the State. The primary election
laws of Mississippi and every
other Southern State have worked
satisfactorily and we'll, and this
is shown by the renewed interest
now being manifested in political
matters by the people of those
States IF the laws have worked
we'll in those safely Democratic
States they ought to work fully
as we'll in this State. The argu-
ment has been made that this
clamor for a primary election as
a means of nominating candidates
is the work of the enemies of the
Democratic party, and that if they
can succeed it is only a matter OF
time when the Republican party
will again gain control OF the
State government. Nothing could
be more preposterous. In the first
place, the great evil of our election
system now undoubtedly is that
too few men take any interest in
political affairs. Something must
be done to revive the old time in
terest. The people are tired Of
conventions, they want primaries,
and they should have them. We
see already the interest that pri-
mary election nominations are
awaiting in other Southern States,
and they are the sole things that
will do so in this State. The ar
guments of the conventionists is
further refuted by the legal quail
fications now imposed upon the
voters. Under these qualifications
the great mass of the Republic
can voters of the State are de-
barred from the exercise of the
right of suffrage. The white men
OF the State-who have other but
political interests to subserve-
will never flock sufficiently to that
party, with its odious past record,
TO return it to the helm of State.
The new laws qualifying suffrage
are a plain estoppel of past Dem
ocratic administration against the
use of any such argument in OPP
position to general primary
election to select party candi-
dates. They plainly intimate that
there are none but thoroughly en-
lightened, good and substantial
citizens who exercise the right of
suffrage in our State to-day and
these citizens must be regarded
and listened to as the all-powerful
and lasting forces of the Demo-
cratic party. To any observant
man it is quite plain that far from
preserving Democratic unity, the
argument of the conventionists
will have a very contrary effect.
Primary elections for the nominal
ton of all offcers-and the abro-
cation of the extensive appointive
power of the Governor-will do
more to unite the Louisiana
Democracy than anything else
that could be adopted or resorted
to at this time.