The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-02-03
MICHEL AND SANDERS
WITHDRAW.

After a few days of what would be
called in prize ring parlance spar
ring for wind, ;" during which their
press agents vigorously pooh-poohed
all suggestions OF withdrawal and in
dulged in stereotyped boasts Of GER
tain victory In the second primary,
which deceived nobody, Hons. John
t. Michel and Jared Y. Sanders very
sensibly decided to be satisfied with
one trouncing and not go into another
campaign and primary election for
the gubernatorial and senatorial nom
nations.
Two days after. the recent primary
DR.. j. B. Aswell, who received the
smallest vote for governor and was
thus eliminated from second con-
test, announced that he would give
his support to Judge Hall because
"the faction led by him offers the
only present available means Of Sc
curing the reforms imperatively de-
manded" From all parts OF the
state came reports that not only
would the Aswell following be in
line for Judge Hall, but that many
former Michel voters would also
align themselves with the Good GOV
eminent candidate il Mr.. Michel de-
cided to remain in the field and
force a second primary. It would
have been worse than useless in
such conditions to do anything else
than pull out as gracefully as posi-
BILE, and the boss OF the thirteenth
ward is too well yersed in the po-
litical game not to appreciate the 10.
gic of so plain situation. He did
much to save his face" by basing
his withdrawal largely upon a desire
to obviate further discord, bitterness
and disturbance of business interests,
and his address to the Democratic
voters Of Louisiana, which is repro
duced In another column Of today's
Chief, is Well-considered and cred
table document.
The announcement of Gov. San
ders' retirement was dated two
days after the. publication Of Mr..
| Michels address, the delay being
due to the convocation in New Or
leans of a couple of hundred Of the
governors supporters from different
sections Of the state for the purpose
Of looking over the field and adyls-
| ing with their candidate as to the
course he ought to take in the pre-
| dicament resulting from his virtual
defeat In the first primary. The
same indubitab1e reasons and formi.
| dable obstacles that rendered the can
didacy OF Mr.. Michel hopeless in the
estimation OF clear minded observ
ers, initiated In equal If not greater
measure against the continued can
didacy Of Gov Sanders, and i
Iscarealy She emphatic dec
llaration OF Congressman Pujo, the
eliminated candidate In the triangu
liar senatorial race, that he and lis
friends would give their united and
active support to Mr.. Broussard Ii
the second primary. to confirm the
belief expressed In last weeks Chief
4 that the governor wouldn't have 9
! ghost of a show in run-off with
the popular third district congress
man, and would be inviting humll
iating defeat By remaining in the
field. The address to the Demo
Gratis of Louisiana in which Gov
Sanders announces his Withdrawal
and explains the motives that prompt
ed his course OF action, is also pub
lished in another column of our pa
per- 1t is longer and more argumea
tative than Mr.. Michel's terse and
simple pronouncement, and while il
may be too much to say that the bit
terness of defeat tinctures the gov
ernors statement, the implied crit
cism of his opponents as unprogress
i've Democrats out Of line with
those principles which are every
where else the battle cries of De
mocracy," is open to unfav orable com
parison with the less prolix and pet
ter-spirited enunciation of his com
panion in defeat, Mr.. Michel.
The withdrawal Of Messrs. Micnel
and Sanders saves the state the ex,
pense and annoyance of, another
statewide primary, and the retiring
candidates have to this extent earn.
ed the commentator and gratitude
OF the people.
Louisiana Is on the rack again III
congress. A fight has been begun in
the house of representatives to re-
duce the duty on imported sugars to
a flat rate of one cent a pound, and
it is feared the Democratic majority
is bent on rushing the measure