The Opelousas courier., 1908-02-22

oC11N4 SCL11NAACkCSo vi wv vi L
dates, and that he was not and
would not become the candidate
of any political faction or clique
or coterie of men, and that
he would submit his claims to the
people on his own merits.
My contention is that the bosses
violate the law when they announ-
&c a ticket Of their own, and the
candidates who become the bene-
fciaries of their action not only
violate the law, but the pledge
which they gave the people not
to do so. The fact that | solicited
the support of the bosses does not
affect the situation. I never
sought their combined indorse-
ment, and feel that [ could not
honorably have done so in a pri-
mary whose basic principle is OPP
posed to such action, and under
my pledge to the people of this
State that [ would not.
l consider it radically wrong
and undemocratic in principle to
use the rules and discipline of eau
Gus action by any subordinate
party organization to coerce the
minority of such organization
against any member of such party,
but there can be no doubt of the
wrong when a law framed by that
party itself condemns such action.
I am told that this is the effect
given the Primary Law in Missis-
sippi, and that any attempt to
control the voters of that State
has never failed to receive the re-
sentiment of the people. ~
But there is this, moreover,
which is Objectionable and often
sive to our sense of self-respect
and manhood, and that is the
clear attempt of the bosses to
extend their control over the pol
itics of the State, and to %centralize
the power of State administration
in New Orleans and its vicinity.
There are four remaining State
candidates to be nominated at
the second primary-namely, the
Lieutenant Governor, the Attor-
ney General, Auditor and Register
of the Land Office. Three Of
these - to-wit, Messrs. Guion,
Capdeville and Crandell-are resi-
dents of the City of New Orleans,
and are identified with her every
interest, and Mr.. Lambremont
lives in St. James,, one of the near
parishes to the city, and has al
ways been in close political afilia-
ton with the city. If the bosses
succeed in carrying out their pur-
pose, the balance of the State will
practically be bereft of representa-
ton in the States administration,
and it is to be hoped that the coun-
try, at least, will not stand for such
a condition.
| trust the people of this State
will not permit themselves to be
dismayed by the dictum of the
bosses. There is a strong feeling
in the city against it, which need
only assert itself at the polls. But
if New Orleans is inert in her sense
of self-respect and manhood, there
is still the country, to which We
might look for our redemption
from ring rule and domination.
Men are nothing to the people
beyond the principles for which
they stand, and if the bosses have
selected and put out a ticket it is
not on account of their love for the
candidates they nominated, but
because they represent ideas ano
principles in accord with their own
1t may be the boast of the
bosses that they have the City Of
New Orleans under their power;
and that the submissiveness of hel
people has rendered them bold,
and they wish to extend that pow.
er over the country. That ap-
pears to be the drift of events.
It is up to the people of the State
to say whether it shall be So. The
issue is clearly made. The YER
dict will be rendered on the 25th
inst. There can be no question
as to the result if the people will
turn out and vote. Men of Lou
isiana, stand by the primary law!
Respectfully,
A. V. COCO.
REPTIRTICAN STATE TICKET