The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1912-10-18
NEWS Of LOUISIANA
Action Of Redistricting State
Endangers Democratic and
Republican Electors
CAUSED BY AN OVERSIGHT
Secretary Of State Says There Is o'"'
Time for Action in putting
Names on Ticket.

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
Baton Rouge.--Only the Progressive
and the Socialists have an electoral
ticket in Louisiana formed according
to the Federal law requiring electors
from a district to reside therein. The
remembrance of this law, and OF the
fact that the Democratic convention
was held early in June, before the re-
distributing bill went into effect, mas
brought the realization that the Demo-
cratic electoral ticket has no lega'
representative from the new Eighth
District, and Fourth District, and that
unless some way out of the tangle
is found the electoral college votes
from these three districts will go by
default to the Progressives or the So
cilaists in the Eighth, and in the Sew
enth and Fourth, to the Progressives,
the Socialists or the Republicans.
When the Democratic convention
met it selected Hampden Story, Of
Crowley, the Seventh District, as third
elector at large to cover the new dis.
trict to which Louisiana was entitled,
but which had not been framed. D..
c. Scarborough, of Natchitoches, was
selected for the old Fourth, and j. W.
Joffrion, of Avoyelles, of the old
Seventh.
The redistricting bill of course legis.
lated Story off the ticket, because the
state was no longer entitled to the
third elector at large. Mr.. Scarbor.
ough and Mr.. Joffrion. were each leg
islated into the new Eighth and out
of their old districts.
Thus the Democrats have. no repre-
lept ton frsm no Nigh d, tlhs 5ysltlI
ND TIE E4dst, s.. e . Y fS
According US Af 6lznion' expresssd'
by Secretary OF State Alvin Hebert,
after a perusal Of the election law,
there will be no trobule in having new
electors placed on the ticket by the
Democrats.
The election law provides merely
that the electors of each party be
placed on the ticket every fourth year,
and that the same laws governing the
election of other officers are to govern
the election of electors.
In cases Of vacancy due to resig.
nation or any irregularity in the Sc.
lection of nominee of a party, the
law provides that another nominee is
to be selected in the same way as the
original nominee was named. Under
this section it is claimed new cleo.
tors could be named by the central
committee.
The time limit is Is days before
the election.
Decide Not to Protest
The executive committee Of the
Louisiana Progressive party at New
Orleans has decided against availing
itself of the right to protest against
alleged Irregularities in the firing of
lists OF presidential electors by the
Democratic and Republican PARTIES.
There was some apprehension in the
Democratic ranks when the state.
ment was made at the state capital
that three congressional districts
nNght be left blank in the Democratic
ticket on the official ballot.
The resolutions adopted by the Pro.
gresslves recite that the party has
suffered gross injustices in other
states. but believes every legal vot.
er in the state should have the right
to vote his choice for presidential cleo.
tors"