St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1910-07-30
Ar Lewis Communicates

Editor Clarion:
70 your editorial article you assert
az 2 fact. that the present system Of
machine politics, prevailing in this
state, has existed Throughout all Dem.
ocratie Administrations beginning
WIN that of Nichols, and that Gov,
ernor Sanders inherited the system
from bis predecessors. You argue,
~enerefrom, that he is not to be
blamed for the system. This state,
ment has been made elsewhere in the
state and with what appears to be
: concerted purpose to make the
people accept it as the truth; whereas
10 truth and in fact the statement is
wholly unfounded that Sanders re-
ceiVed the system from his democrat
y predecessors. The present poll
tical machine that controls the State
o. Louisiana is entirely the creation
q the Sanders Administration. The
truth Of history, as we'll as the ne
cessity Of placing the responsibility
where it belongs, alike demand that
! Should furnish the proofs Of this
grave charge. | am glad that
you have called for the proof. will
furnish it, and here challenge con-
tradiction Of any material statement
Of fact Or proposition advanced by
me.
Before entering into the discussion
further, however, | wish to be we'll
understood that you admit the exist
ence Of . political machine in the
State at this present time, Of which
Gov Sanders is at the head, you say:
The man elected to office, be he
Governor or Ward Constable, who
does not during bis term of Office try
and fortifY himself with a machine,
will not last long in politics. 1t be-
longs TO the game and all play it."
Again you say:
People do not go into politics out
Of patriotism. This thing Of a man
piAing 90 serve the dear people is ali
buncombe.a
Again you say
The Sanders machine is but the
perpetuation of the Nichols and
Foster machine"
No man, not even the Editor Of the
Glarien, win deny that the charge
made against Sanders of subverting
our Democratic Government and trans
forming II into a system of personal
government is a charge of the
gravest character. To call it a mere
game Of politics shows, / think, d
lack Of appreciation Of the profound
Importance of the question. The
facts that / shall narrate are well
known Ii the State, especially to
those who are old enough to remem-
Der the inauguration Of White Cow
eminent III The State. Many Of your
readers. however, have grown up
since that period and need to be told
of these things, The Republican Ad-
m~inistratfons added greatly to the
appointive power Of the Governor
and in many other ways sought to
perpetuate their control of the State.
The Republican governors were a
little short Of despots, nearly every
yestige Of Democratic government
being eradicted. When the Nichols
Administration came into Power, the
question at once arose whether the
powers taken from the people should
Be restored TO them, and the Govern
or stripped Of the appointing power
with which he had been invested.
F #E M##H
The negroes bad The full voting
power, were III numerical majority in
the State. and dominated more than
one-half Of the parishes Of the State;
and the paramount question Of the
Nichols Administration was a main
tenance Of the State Government in
the hands Of the white people, ii
other words the maintenance Of the
White Supremacy. In the great
emergency it was determined, and the
decision was universally concnrred in.
that the restoration of Democratic
Government in the State should be
postponed until the right Of the white
to control the Government 81
he State should be established upon
! firm and enduring basis. Indeed
d pursuance Of the demand for the
establishment Of White Supremacy in
very parish Of the State, one of the
lets Of The Nichols Administration
VAS To place the power 81 appointing
lnlice ,Jnries in the hands OF the CIV.