Regular Democratic Organization - Early 20th Century

Early 20th Century

RDO became a powerful political force in New Orleans and throughout Louisiana 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.