The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1908-03-21
ELECTION STEAL.
Fraud Absolyes Voters from the Primary
PIodge-Democratic Tribute TO the
Republican Ticket.


Plodge-Denocratic Tribute TO sae
Republican Ticket.
Under the caption, tThe Theft and
its Lesson for Democrats, the New
Orleans Item OF Monday, March IS,
| publishes a significant editorial which
merits the considerable OF every in
telligent voter, and particularly every
| Democratic citizen who is not ready
to condone and approve the gfaring
frauds committed in the recent primary
election. The Item is an Independent
| Democratic paper, neither hidebound
nor subservient TO the ring that con-
| trolls the party organization in this
state, and its utterances bear the in
disputable stamp OF candor, sincerity
and truth. The editorial referred to
| reads as follows:
All through the south there are pa.
triotic men who additionally love the
Democratic party.
The party name is associated in
their struggle OF the Confederacy, with
the movement of the leading white men
of the south to turn out the carpet
Dagger and to restore white DONNA"
ton, the rule of law, order and intel
| ligence to the state of Louisiana. Re-
publicanism was associated for half q
generation in the minds of the people
here with every great public evil that
| oppressed them-so here, as elsewhere
in the south, the Democratic party is
(, absolutely predominant and the ''Dem-
ocratic" organization is all powerful
in our public affairs.
The desperate conditions Of recon-
struction days palliated the stealing
of votes by politicians, and the habits
formed have never been eliminated
from certain sections of the organiza-
ton. There is nothing peculiar or
local in election theft, because every
where there are men cheerfully willing
| to steal votes; and the man who will
| steal votes in an election nowadays
in Louisiana will steal other things
besides votes between elections. The
reason for this is because not only
| has Louisiana become reconstructed
for generation, but great part of
| the illiterate vote and great part Of
the purch aseable vote and practically
all the negro vote has been eliminated
from the electorate By the constitution
| of the state.
Under these circumstances there Is
no really logical reason why the vot-
ers of Louisiana should not divide
into two parties, and there is no
reason why the people OF the city and
country should not exercise their real
intelligence in passing upon the issues
that are presented in the state.
There is not In Louisiana as yet
that great independent shifting ele-
ment that controls elections, as be-
| tween parties, in other states. There
are people who have developed the
civic ideal that man should vote for
what is right, regardless of party or
faction OF q party. They are not in
tiuenced by senbimentality, by private
considerations or by party allegiance.
They are the people whose influence
is really felt in American elections.
For example, we do not suppose
that ten per cent of the people who
read newspapers aud take an interest
in public affairs in Louisiana have a
bit of doubt that there was the rawest
sort of stealing among the Democrats
in the second primary. No one seems
to have any doubt that the votes that
were supposed to be honestly cast
and honestly counted we're not counted.
This is fraud and almost anywhere
in MISUNDERSTANDING communities
fraud in one party is punished by the
casting of the independent vote
against that party. 1t is politically
unforgivable.
The time will come, however, in
Louisiana, when a man like Mr..
Pharr, who is candidate on the Re.
publican ticket for governor, will be
considered by a great many people on
his merits as man and Q candidate.
He will be compared to man like Mr..
Sanders, the candidate of the Demo.
Gratis, and the merits of the two men
will be weighed, their platforms will
be considered, the earnestness and
honesty Of their intentions will count
as we'll as the things that they stand
for.
Mr.. Sanders may be right this year
when he says that in spite of the fraud |
charges against the Democratic party |
there will be the usual perfunctory
campaign and the usual Democratic |
majority. The rank and file of the
voters get nothing directly from po-
litical party. Fraud absolves them of
the need of voting in general cleo.
ton as they vote in primary.
And they don't approve of stealing
IN elections.
The Lily White Republicans Of
Louisiana rank, as men, about as we'll |
as the Lily White Democrats. There
is every reason to behave IN at their