The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1903-06-20


dressed the following communication to
dress communica tons of the same nature to
Hons. John T. Michel and w. II. Price:
'sBaton Rouge, La, June IL, 1908.
"Hon. Newton c. Blanchard, New Or
leans, La:
ssDear Sr-By persistent and uncontra
idcted reports you spoken of can
didate for the Democratic gubernatoral
nomination. AS an aspirant myself for this
exalted honor, beg to assure you at the
outset that l seek to gain advantage
over any of my competitors by my advocacy
of the primary election plan of nominating
candidates, which would afford to the Dem
ocratic voters the fullest and freest oppor-
tunities of exercising their unquestionable
right to express by ballot their preferences
among the candidates. There we'll
founded and deep-seated objections to the
convention plan for the nominations and,
as you are doubtless aware, it has been dis
carded by the Democracy in Arkansas, Ala
bama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Mis-
sissippi and South Carolina. The practice
of turning the nominations to dele
gates, agents, as it were, of the voters,
has given rise to all sorts of unfair, arbi-
trary and reprehensible methods. Through
these metods the dearest and plainest rights
of the American citizens have been taken
from him, and it is this that we must
largely ascribe the repugnance to vote that
is manifested by many of our most estim |
able citizens.
s.Some of these devices consist in having |
the parish committees to assume the power
of naming the delegates. They named,
too, in mass meetings of people residing
chiefly in the immediate vicnage thereof.
The delegation is made larger than the
presentation, SO that by means of proxies
from delegates who can not go to the
vention, and by the unit rule, few, some
times man, gains absolute control of
the delegation from his locality and it
for his own ends, regardless of the wishes
and sentiments of the people. They are
chosen in primaries also, upon tickets de
claring that the delegation will 60 unin-
structed and be governed by the indispen-
sable joker, the unit rule. Unless can
ddate can contrive to work in the majority
of delegation he get his be-
fore convention nor, Of course, before the =
ton from his party awaits him when he
does Thus, not infrequenty, the most
capable, respected and popular citizens are
shut out from conventions and consideration L
by their fellow citizens. U
'sTo these sundry abuses can properly be =
ascribed the tumultuous conventions, the
Factional strife, and the local uprislngs
against the party.
t'With present safe and excellent
electorate, requiring an educational prop
rty q ratification, long length of residence,
he payment of the poll tax, registration,
to-, it strikes me that should advance as 8
ar in Democracy our fellow Democr Is ~
ave in the adjacent State of Mississippi, r
nd in The other Southern States to which -
ave alluded. =
''1n my opinion we have reached the time :;
, adopt in Louisiana the primary election /.
'ethod for State, larochal and municipal =
and thereby enable every n
Democrat who may SO desire, TO submit his
anne for any Office, to the direct consdera- Il
On and free action of his fellow Democr ats.
''You will doubtless recollect that, some Ne
on;hs ago, the Democratic State central
was pettioned to formulate res
an of general primary for the nomination WI
the State ticket, and that adjourn
ent was taken by this body, before con Fix
1eration had been given to this petition, the
aich therefore, is in the stage of unfinished me
siness lying over subject to call at its orc
xt meeting. Should you agree with me or
the premises, 1 would be pleased if you nat
'uld inform me of your willingness 10 join
in requesting the chairman of the State mo
ntral committee TO call meeting of said vol
for an early date, to consider me
S matter, and 1 sincerely hope, take favor not
lie action thereon. Sho
'Act No. 1873 of 1900 Ia Democratic SPe
cus billy, in section I6, provides, that tina
State central committee and the various hcu
trict and parish committees calling pri the
ry elections. shall have power to adopt fror
h rules and regulations for the conduct mer
government thereof as they may deem own
provided same be not inconsistent with ligic
provisions of this act, etc. free
Thus we have representative and legis- thei
re Democratic expression and sanction the
the primary election method of nom schc
ing, with the provisions of the law to ton:
guard the fairness and purity of such scho
laries. acte
There can be no question that prima- and
which would bring the masses of the their
Y into participation therein and under ST.
aw bind every participant abide the and
It, would insure the triumphant election ders,
e Democratic ticket, and render i'm gious
ticable all manner of opposition thereto monl
is State. these