The Opelousas courier., 1904-01-16

"It was no secret for many months
before the Judge publicly announced
himself, that John Brewster wa!
grooming him. Some Of the bose.
rather looked at this out of the cor
ner Of their eyes, for they have mo-
greatly enjoyed some experiences
with Brewster's candidates. But one
cannot always know what a boss il
thinking about, or what he says.
"They are all now in the bane
wagon, every one of them, and Dunen.
hefer is the Judges chairman Of com
mittee on resolutions.
"The Judge says that he will only
give them the consideration due THEN
weight and influence in the party
You and I and the Judge may under.
stand that in one sense, but the boss
es will translate it freely, and if op-
portunity offers, will enforce their
translation vigorously.
"The Judge should have Senator
Foster tell him about the death
watch in 1895.
cit is a matter of concern to some
of the Judges friends how 500 he
will need the service Of a merry spe-
cialist for treatment Of that facial
paralysis which must result from the
constant winking at Gilmore and
Fitz when he is talking to Fenner and
Patterson.
"Many Of these bosses are agreea-
BILE, lovable men; even more so than
their candidates. Fer some Of them
I have sincere respect and esteem, and
with more than one I claim the privi-
leSe Of friendship.
cit is the system they stand for
and the methods they practice in po-
litical affairs that I oppose, for these,
[ believe, tend to the destruction of
character in the individual voter
they substitute for patriotic duty a
lust for the spoils of Office. They
make the will Of the bosses instead of
the principles Of the party, the stand
ard Of conduct. They increase in the
public service the opportunity for
graft and corruption, and make easy
the exploitation cf~the people by the
public service corporations. And
their success cuts off and makes we'll
nigh impossible any education Of the
masses in political doctrines or in po-
litical action.
eve oppose Judge Blanchard, be-
cause to us his action means the en-
trenchment in power Of these people
and the further extension Of their
and Of the practice of their
methods .
"That is one issue, and the Judge
can only put it out Of the campaign
by declaring he will not appoint then
to Office or be guided by their coun-
sci.
"If we can introduce and main
I'd p in its integrity, the primary cleo
tidA within the party, the pernicious
syst m Of self-election is destroyed.
was no secret three years ago
that the machine had named Blanch-
ard and Sanders to the succession and
the ppm would have gone through
without any consultation with the vo-
tiers, ifkthe lion Of primary election
had notsarisen in the path. So, pri-
mary el4etions, the direct appeal to
the peoph, the expression Of his will
by the Individual voter ,is the para
mount issdS. Of the campaign, and the
question iNspropounded, Shall we
the Erection and control of
party manaaament and party affairs
to the men Tho favor primary cleo
tions and "a or appeals to the peo-
pie, or to the Iaen who, in their hearts,
dread and feak the primary election,
lives Naye been spent and
i~nterestsAffare bound up in the
methods and pAIetices utterly at va
with th4sidea Of a primary
election7 All thgg rest follows as cor
eve can not Rope to destroy the
one man power; Ire al not hope to
cut off ~sinecuresE Awe can not hope
for reform of tasgaion; we can not
hope to widen aEA strengthen the
base of out systems,pf public educa-
ton; indeed, we caEa expect no bet
terment in party aft his, or state af-
fairs, until We haveW Established be-
yond question the riglE4of the people
to chose their servan4N and control
their own political bus
Indeed, many of ussy who have no
hope or desire for political prefer
ment, are making this Struggle so that
it may be possible for 9me of the
splendid young men of Ehe state to
seek public service ito delicate to the
state their splendid taleIAs, without
the need Of wearing any Ihn's collar,
or the loss Of their self-rIIpect.
"Under the prevailing system Of
party politics in this Gate, what
earthly chance for the qualification Of
and honorable ambitidh is offered
the Fenners or Hunters, or the
Burkes, or the Stubs, or any Of the
Young men Of this state, whose quail
ties of mind and heart fit them for
service, and whose attachments ought
to be called into the service Of the
6xu-. . 4l.A H..