The Caucasian., 1911-04-16
THE RANKEST OF PARTISAN
SHIP

SHIP.
At the sitting of the Police jury on
Thursday there was presented an ord1-
nance providing for an election to be
held on June I next
This ordinance was garbed in appa-
rent fairness. but it was reeking with
the rankest of partisanship.
So manifest was this effort at unfair
ness, through the prearranged selection
of the commissioners and the clerks for
this election, that Juror Douglas could
not refrain from protesting against this
unwarranted and undenocratic assump-
ton of authority by an individual who,
while not connected with the Police
Jury, would have foisted his wilfully
premeditated, one-sided programme on
the people.
In protesting against the commission
ers and clerks named arbitrarily i'll the
ordinance, in violation Of precedents and
rules of the past, and in time precedents
become as good as law. Mr.. Douglas
branded the scheme as being a stacked
deck" which in the parlance Of the
gambler, is the neanest and the most
despicable of tricks, which, when detect
cd, is provocative of violence.
In this protest Juror Douglas was
joined by Hon. Frank J. Looney, who
did not mince his words, and by Mr.. J..
c. Foster, the leader of the Prohibition
League
In urging his protest against this
rankest of partisans1lip, Mr.. Foster was
terse and vigorous, and said in part:
"The prohibitionists are not represent
ed in wards where there are the largest
number of purchasable votes. | don't
know who drew up that petition; | don't
believe Mr.. Winter did it, but it was
drawn up by an adept who knew how to
stack a deck The antis don't want the
pros to have a fair chance. 1t is de-
liyered vote they want.
An explanation followed by Juror
Winter. who said:
"Should Mr., Foster know who drafted
that petition he would not speak so un-
feelingly of him, for he is man who IS
above stacking deck, and a man whose
name ! would like to be permitted to
mention now but | can't He was a
stauneh supporter of Mr.. Foster in his
race for mayor and is not man who
would stack a deck.
1t may be true that the gentleman
who prepared the ordinance, including
his choice of commissioners and clerks,
IS not a man who would stack a deck,
but he must be skilled in the art Ct man
ipulation as demonstrated in predeter-
1nined intent at unfairness III his at
tempt to foist his dictation on the Police
Jury and the citizens of Caddo parish.
1t is well that the pros were vigilant
and called the trick.
What has been the custom, which is
fortified by law'9
Whenever an election, primary or
~tSGs lids #DGSit Nut1SAy III lAlA SAAA
nance providing the election the names
of commissioners and clerks have been
left blank, and after the reading of the
ordinance the blanks have been filed by
agreement in the broadest spirit of fair
ness, which has been satisfactory to all
concerned.
In the years past, when the political
factions in Cadd0 parish had reached
the dagger's point and father and son
were ready to cluth each other at the
throat, there never was attempted SO
audacious dictation by one man. And
who is this man who would dictate to
the Police Jury and to the people OF
Caddo parish, seemingly in the interest
of the saloono
Fortunately this protest has aYailed,
and while not strictly fair in sense Of
justice, the pros will have some repre-
sentation at the polls, which it was pro
posed should have been denied them.