The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1908-10-17
Perniciens Instruction.

4 communication appeared IN last
/ Saturdays issue Of our local eontem.
porary, The Times, over the signature
Of the commissioner against whom the
grand jury of this parish has returned
an Indictment for falsifying the result
of the recent Democr attic primary elee.
ton in the fourth ward, and the pub
LEGATION is of such peculiar tenor as to
justify at least passing notice and
comment. It is neither a declaration Of
innocence nor a plea for suspension
of public opinion, but simply an in
ferential ch arge that the movement to
expose the fraud perpetrated in the
fourth ward is actuated by spite and
modification because Of failure to
carry the ward for WickIiffe, and a
suggestion that the agitators ought to
keep still and take their medicine as a.
First lesson in politics. In order
that no ground may be afforded for
any presumption that either the Ian
guage or intent of the communication
is being misrepresented, we reproduce
It's full text:
A Poor Way of Getting Revenge.
Communicated
tt it was possible to make up ones mind to
believe that the gentlemen who seem 50 anxious
and so persistent in their efforts to have flied at
tidayits to show and try to prove before !, court
of justice that grieyious wrong has been done
them in regard to the conduct Of the election in
h
bow to them and say f&ell'' done those good and
faithful servants. But knowing and feeling as
do that they were actuated simply By the great
sorrow Of having failed IN their desire and belief
thatfhey could do so lcarry the ward for Mr.Wick-
liHe,l would advise them to remain passive and
learn their first lesson in politics.
One of the Commissioners of the Fourth Ward
Whatever may be the motives actu-
ating the citizens who have been in
strumental in bringing to light the
barefaced fraud committed in the
fourth ward, all right-minded people
must agree that it is high time such
criminal practices should cease, and
that those who persist in them should
be brought to account in the manner
provided by law. The voter has as
much proprietary interest in his bal
lot as in his purse, and the miscount.
ing or stealing of the one is no less
crime against him and against society
than is the pilfering of the other.
The doctrine that election frauds are
to be tolerated as mere matters OF
course lessons in politics. to be
learned and accepted without resist,
ance--may receive some countenance
in New Orleans, sweet Iberville, the
state of Jefferson, the |
divided domain of Catahoula, the |
suzerainty Of the sultan of ST. Der |
lard, and some of the other rotten
political boroughs Of Louisiana, but /
t has no place among the honest
Of Ascension, and merits, as
t will receive, their emphatic con-
lemnation and Republication.
Lessons in ballot box stnffing, mis-.
calling ballots, losing or falsifying
and the various other devices
escorted to by INSCRIPTIONS politici I
ms and election officials to circum
rent and pervert the popular will, |
lsed to be in vogue here as we'll al
Elsewhere in this state, but It is
species of pernicious instruction that
5 supposed to have been expunged
rom the Ascension Observation-Disclosures,
md the attempt to revive it will meet
nth no encouragement.