Regular Democratic Organization
Encyclopedia
The Regular Democratic Organization (RDO), or Old Regulars, or the New Orleans Ring, is a conservative political organization based in New Orleans. It has existed for 130 years and as of 2006 is still active. The symbol of the RDO is the rooster
. For many years the organization's headquarters was at the Choctaw Club.
control of the city. In 1877, political power in New Orleans swung to the Democrats via the political muscle of the RDO. The RDO leadership enacted Jim Crow laws
such as segregated facilities
and a poll tax
. In 1896 RDO lent its support to the reelection of Governor Murphy J. Foster
to stop a rejuvenated Republican Party
allied with the Populists
behind the candidacy of John N. Pharr. After an election characterized by fraud so widespread that the actual results may never be known, Foster maneuvered to rewrite the state constitution so as to decimate black voting and to induce several decades in which nomination by the white-controlled Democratic Party of the time and place became tantamount to election
.
around the turn of the 20th century. It appealed to working-class and immigrant voters. According to author Garry Boulard in his 1998 book "Huey Long Invades New Orleans," one of the reasons for the Old Regulars' success was that they had jobs to dispense: "If you were willing to work for them, they could provide work for you: the city and swerage board alone was worth more than four thousand jobs; there were jobs in the police and fire departments, jobs on public-financed construction prpjects, jobs hauling garbage, jobs working in city hall. Only through the Old Regulars could New Orleanians gain access to these jobs."
Like their political rivals the Citizen's League, the RDO had white supremacist leanings.
Key leaders of the RDO were John Fitzpatrick
and Martin Behrman
, both of whom served terms as mayor during the organization's heyday.
In the 1920s, a schism formed in the ranks of the RDO, with the renegade faction taking on the name "New Regulars". The original RDO consequently was nicknamed the "Old Regulars". The New Regulars did not last long as an influential body, but the "Old Regulars" name stuck with the RDO.
The RDO machine maintained control over New Orleans well into the 20th century, effectively selecting officials throughout city government from 1877 until 1934. With the exception of Joseph A. Shakspeare
, every mayor of New Orleans from Edward Pilsbury
up to and including T. Semmes Walmsley
was endorsed and supported by the RDO.
during the Walmsley period. Despite attempts at an alliance between the RDO and Long's statewide machine, the RDO ultimately lent strong support to the effort to impeach Long in 1929. The sides reconciled afterwards, leading to a period of productive cooperation between the camps until the alliance broke down in 1934. Heavy feuding resumed, which nearly reached armed confrontation. Long, with his statewide influence, managed to strip the RDO administration of New Orleans of most of its governing powers, eventually crippling the city. Walmsley rebuffed the RDO's request to step down to end the conflict, and the RDO (which also controlled the city council) abandoned him in return. Walmsley eventually resigned, leaving the RDO administration in turmoil.
After Long died in 1935, his allies in state government continued the siege on the RDO, which was opposed to Long's candidate for mayor, Robert Maestri
. Long's machine struck a deal which led to Maestri becoming both mayor and head of the RDO. With the power of both Long's machine and the RDO at his behest, Maestri's government became increasingly corrupt.
De Lesseps Story Morrison
to Mayor in 1946 marked the end of RDO hegemony in New Orleans. The RDO's defeat was due in large measure to behind-the-scenes workings of Louisiana governor Jimmie Davis
and the Uptown New Orleans
elite, who specifically sought to end the machine that had run New Orleans for six decades. The Democratic Party's switch to progressive
principles in the late 1960s eroded the conservative RDO's residual influence in government, with the victory of integrationist Democrat Moon Landrieu
for mayor in 1970 reflecting the liberal ascendancy. Correspondingly, RDO has maintained its initials while touting "Republicans, Democrats, Others" as alternative underlying words. RDO detached from the Democratic Party and began tactically endorsing candidates irrespective of partisan affiliation.
Rooster
A rooster, also known as a cockerel, cock or chanticleer, is a male chicken with the female being called a hen. Immature male chickens of less than a year's age are called cockerels...
. For many years the organization's headquarters was at the Choctaw Club.
Reconstruction & aftermath
The RDO was spawned in the latter days of Reconstruction, toward the end of Republican PartyRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
control of the city. In 1877, political power in New Orleans swung to the Democrats via the political muscle of the RDO. The RDO leadership enacted Jim Crow laws
Jim Crow laws
The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws in the United States enacted between 1876 and 1965. They mandated de jure racial segregation in all public facilities, with a supposedly "separate but equal" status for black Americans...
such as segregated facilities
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
and a poll tax
Poll tax
A poll tax is a tax of a portioned, fixed amount per individual in accordance with the census . When a corvée is commuted for cash payment, in effect it becomes a poll tax...
. In 1896 RDO lent its support to the reelection of Governor Murphy J. Foster
Murphy J. Foster
Murphy James Foster, Sr. , was a Louisiana politician who served two terms as the 31st Governor of Louisiana from 1892 to 1900.Early and personal life...
to stop a rejuvenated Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
allied with the Populists
Populist Party (United States)
The People's Party, also known as the "Populists", was a short-lived political party in the United States established in 1891. It was most important in 1892-96, then rapidly faded away...
behind the candidacy of John N. Pharr. After an election characterized by fraud so widespread that the actual results may never be known, Foster maneuvered to rewrite the state constitution so as to decimate black voting and to induce several decades in which nomination by the white-controlled Democratic Party of the time and place became tantamount to election
Tantamount to election
"Tantamount to election" is a phrase to describe a situation in which one political party so dominates the demographics of a voting district, that the person winning the party nomination for a race will virtually be assured of winning the general election...
.
Early 20th century
RDO became a powerful political force in New Orleans and throughout LouisianaLouisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
around the turn of the 20th century. It appealed to working-class and immigrant voters. According to author Garry Boulard in his 1998 book "Huey Long Invades New Orleans," one of the reasons for the Old Regulars' success was that they had jobs to dispense: "If you were willing to work for them, they could provide work for you: the city and swerage board alone was worth more than four thousand jobs; there were jobs in the police and fire departments, jobs on public-financed construction prpjects, jobs hauling garbage, jobs working in city hall. Only through the Old Regulars could New Orleanians gain access to these jobs."
Like their political rivals the Citizen's League, the RDO had white supremacist leanings.
Key leaders of the RDO were John Fitzpatrick
John Fitzpatrick
John Fitzpatrick or FitzPatrick is the name of:* John FitzPatrick , former Australian federal politician* John Fitzpatrick , coach and manager in Major League Baseball...
and Martin Behrman
Martin Behrman
Martin Behrman , an American Democratic politician, was the longest-serving mayor in New Orleans history.-Biography:...
, both of whom served terms as mayor during the organization's heyday.
In the 1920s, a schism formed in the ranks of the RDO, with the renegade faction taking on the name "New Regulars". The original RDO consequently was nicknamed the "Old Regulars". The New Regulars did not last long as an influential body, but the "Old Regulars" name stuck with the RDO.
The RDO machine maintained control over New Orleans well into the 20th century, effectively selecting officials throughout city government from 1877 until 1934. With the exception of Joseph A. Shakspeare
Joseph A. Shakspeare
Joseph Ansoetegui Shakspeare was mayor of New Orleans from 1880 - 1882 and again from 1888 to 1892.-Early life and political career:...
, every mayor of New Orleans from Edward Pilsbury
Edward Pilsbury
Edward Pilsbury was the 38th mayor of New Orleans ....
up to and including T. Semmes Walmsley
T. Semmes Walmsley
Thomas Semmes Walmsley was Mayor of New Orleans from July 1929 to June 1936. He is best known for his intense rivalry with Louisiana Governor Huey P. Long.- Early life and career :...
was endorsed and supported by the RDO.
Feud with Huey Long
The RDO was involved in a costly feud with Louisiana politician Huey LongHuey Long
Huey Pierce Long, Jr. , nicknamed The Kingfish, served as the 40th Governor of Louisiana from 1928–1932 and as a U.S. Senator from 1932 to 1935. A Democrat, he was noted for his radical populist policies. Though a backer of Franklin D...
during the Walmsley period. Despite attempts at an alliance between the RDO and Long's statewide machine, the RDO ultimately lent strong support to the effort to impeach Long in 1929. The sides reconciled afterwards, leading to a period of productive cooperation between the camps until the alliance broke down in 1934. Heavy feuding resumed, which nearly reached armed confrontation. Long, with his statewide influence, managed to strip the RDO administration of New Orleans of most of its governing powers, eventually crippling the city. Walmsley rebuffed the RDO's request to step down to end the conflict, and the RDO (which also controlled the city council) abandoned him in return. Walmsley eventually resigned, leaving the RDO administration in turmoil.
After Long died in 1935, his allies in state government continued the siege on the RDO, which was opposed to Long's candidate for mayor, Robert Maestri
Robert Maestri
Robert Sidney Maestri was mayor of New Orleans from 1936 to 1946 and a key ally of Huey P. Long, Jr., and Earl Kemp Long.- Early life :...
. Long's machine struck a deal which led to Maestri becoming both mayor and head of the RDO. With the power of both Long's machine and the RDO at his behest, Maestri's government became increasingly corrupt.
Reform
The election of Reform DemocratReform Democrat
Reform Democrats in the United States are members of the Democratic Party who are opposed to the Democratic political machines of their respective cities, counties, or states or to analogous machine politics at a national level. The term is usually used in contrast with machine-affiliated Regular...
De Lesseps Story Morrison
De Lesseps Story Morrison
DeLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison, Sr., was the mayor of New Orleans from 1946-1961 who failed in three hard-fought bids for the then-pivotal Louisiana Democratic gubernatorial nomination. He also served as an appointee of U.S. President John F. Kennedy as the United States ambassador to the...
to Mayor in 1946 marked the end of RDO hegemony in New Orleans. The RDO's defeat was due in large measure to behind-the-scenes workings of Louisiana governor Jimmie Davis
Jimmie Davis
James Houston Davis , better known as Jimmie Davis, was a noted singer of both sacred and popular songs who served two nonconsecutive terms as the 47th Governor of Louisiana...
and the Uptown New Orleans
Uptown New Orleans
Uptown is a section of New Orleans, Louisiana on the East Bank of the Mississippi River encompassing a number of neighborhoods between the French Quarter and the Jefferson Parish line. It remains an area of mixed residential and small commercial properties, with a wealth of 19th century architecture...
elite, who specifically sought to end the machine that had run New Orleans for six decades. The Democratic Party's switch to progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
principles in the late 1960s eroded the conservative RDO's residual influence in government, with the victory of integrationist Democrat Moon Landrieu
Moon Landrieu
Maurice Edwin "Moon" Landrieu is a Democratic politician from Louisiana who served as Mayor of New Orleans from 1970–1978. He also is a former judge...
for mayor in 1970 reflecting the liberal ascendancy. Correspondingly, RDO has maintained its initials while touting "Republicans, Democrats, Others" as alternative underlying words. RDO detached from the Democratic Party and began tactically endorsing candidates irrespective of partisan affiliation.