St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1909-07-31

prevent the creation Of this horde of
new and unnecessary Offices, but the
chief responsibility must rest upon
the members Of the Senate and House
that passed all these obnoxious meas
ures, your representatives and mine
in that legislative body.
T come now to the last point which
T shall discuss, and It is the demand
made in your constitution for a rigid
enforcement of the law against vice
and immortality. Gorrupting and de-
frauding the electorate must certain
u be elassed among high
crimes and misdemeanora. The
government Of a people, to have their
allegiance and loyal support, must be
free from the faint Of fraud or cor
ruption; and the electorate must be
kept frea and undefled. to secure
the maintenance Of an ncorruptible
and Independent Judiciary which is
the guardian Of both the rights and
the Liberties Of the people. And
here without excuse or apology, re-
call the charges made against the
count and return of the votes cast in
the city Of New Orleans at the last
general primary election for State
officers and in doing so I wish to.
diselaim emphatically any purpose to
advise you to depart from your de-
clared policy not to enter the domain
Of partisan politics Or partyism. Any
demand which you may make for the
purity and freedom of the election Of
the public servants that are to adj
minister your government il any Of
its branches IS strictly within the
line not only Of your rights, but
within the line Of your duty to your
selves and to your fellow citizens.
You will remember that the charges
ii question were supported BY numer-
GUS afidavits, of witnesses whose
credibility was not questioned, and
made with every necessary detail Of
time, place, names and circumstances
and sufficient in number and IN amount,
# true, to have shown aresults differ
ent from the result declared by the
election officers, and to have elected
to the second place on the State
ticket one Of the candidates for that
Office IN place Of the present incumb-
ent, who was declared elected. That
official, in case of the death or re-
signation of the Governor, will be-
come the Chief Executive Of the
State. You will remember that the
State Committee refused to examine
into the charges, holding that it was
poWerless to do SO; and you will re-
member again that efforts were IN
availingIy made to have the courts
take Jurisdiction of the charges. and
that they also declined jurisdiction.
Thus efectualIy closing every door
to inquiry Or remedy, and leaving The
commonwealth ike Promethius
chained down, that the vulturei
might feed upon its yitals at will
You will remember also that the de
fects and open doors to frauds il
the primary election machinery
which made their preparation pos
sible and successful at that prinary
election in New Orleans were publicl.
discussed and pointed out at TIL
time; and that the necessity for TIL
enactment Of a reform primary cleo
ton law was universally conceded. I
was the hope and expectation every
where that the legislature would Sc
J about the enactment Of such Law, a
of paramount necessity. But let ]
! be said to the eternal reproach 0
|, Of the members of both Senate an
/, House, that not d member Of eithe
!, !, body had the courage or independ
ence to endeavor to secure the pas
! sage of a reform primary eleetio
. law.
Nov, Mr.. Chairmen, and gentlemen
$ You and | must accept our full he:
sure Of responsibility. not only f.
the creation by that body Of IL
D new Offices, most Of which added ii
necessary burdens upon the Poop
! but for its failure to enact q refor
: measure. to make q REPETITION Of Il
prostitution Of the ballot in Ne
Orleans impossible, for we eIectt
! these members Of that body. Agar
9 Mr. Chairman, The responsibility +
1900 L-alnIasy ana S-;soroan;7,