The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-28
Gov. Fosters Speech.

ernor teHdr,cd him by the Democratic
State Convention held last week at
Shreveport, Gov. Foster spoke, in part,
as follows:
"A comparison of the present with
the recent past furnishes fresh proof OF
the imperishable vitality of Democratic
principles, and the undying loyalty of
Louisiana Democrats. The present
Democratic State administration was
elected after the hitterest factioDal
campaign the Democratic party OF Lou
isiana has even known. The battle was
fought as only good Democrats
can fight, and the birth of this admin
istration saw the true and tried sons OF
Democracy all arrayed against each
other in hostile ranks, under the BAN
ners of faction still flying unturled.
i = i As 500 as the temper OF the
factions would permit, all distinctions
between those Democrats who had sup
ported and those who had opposed the
administration were Obilterated. The
differences engendered by the fratrlcl-
dal strife of that memorable campaign,
if not forgotten were ignored, and good
Democrats, irrespective of faction, were
called from all parts of the State to
share the duties, the responsibilities ana
the hODUrs of the administration, which
is now rapidly drawing to lis close, and
whatever measure of success has been
achieved by that administration Is not
the achievement OF d faction, but OF the
reunited Democratic party OF LOUISE
ana. The record of this admlnlstra-
ton is . before you and the people
OF the State. 1t Is not the record or
any one man or coterle OF men. 1t Is
the lecord OF our great party or Lou
isiaua. 1t is the work OF Democrats IN
high POSITIONS and In humble places, all
oven this State. Iii this record we read
the results Of the patriotic and unseifish
devotion OF thousands OF active minds
and brave hearts devoted TO the inter-
estS OF Louisiana, ana they Who nave
| done the work with pride may read the
record. Thanks to them the interests
of the people have been we'll conserved
and promoted along ali the. lines ON
which government may legitimately or
properly proceed.
"WltnUut increase OF taxation the
public service has been wei! performed,
and lile public servants promptly paid.
Wi:iiu the disturbed condition OF the
finances Of The general government has
lately forced The ISSUANCE of $3.50, GOO 900
of interest bearing bonds of the Uni
ted States, while other States
have been forced to face deficits
in their annual revenues, Louisiana
has been enabled, without increasing
the bonds of the people, to antici-
pate the pay mtnt of a part Of her bond
ed debt, and to retire past due obllga-
tons ~aggregatiug 81, 500, 900. While the
world has been suffering from ii tinan-
ciaI panic Of unparalleled intensity and
duration, which has impaired confidence
aud diminished or destroyed values
everywhere; while other securities al
most without exception, have declined
in value, we see the securities OF Lou
isiana so highly priced and in such
great request that her bonds constantly
appreciate in value in the markets of
the world, and she has at last resumed
the proud position OF stainless credit
which she held in the world of finance
before the war, and from which she was
temporarily dislodged by Republican
misrule and corruption.
THE paramount claims of the great
canse of public education have been
fully recognized, and nj effort has been
spared to place Louisiana abreast of the
time in everything that concernsthe bet
ter education of the youth. Upward OF
1000, 900 have been disbursed in this
holy cause since this administration
was inaugu1ated. By far the greater
part of this has been paid to the small
army of public school teachers, the only |
army maintained by this State in time
of peace. The number of children en-
rolled in the schools has increased in
the same period by more than $4,000,
and the average length of the annual
school session by more than n mouth.
This marked improvement in the pnb-
lie school system is the best eyidetce
that the Democrats of this State have a
deep and a-Siding faith that the safety
Of thea.s5public rests in the education
of the citizens. The first and highest
duty imposed upon the executive 10y the
Constitution is to see to it that the laws
are faithfully executed. Thanks to the
lawabiding character and the patriotic
instincts of the people of Louisiana of
all shades of political opinion this has
beer comparatively easy. Peace and
good order have in general been admi-
rably preserved, in marked contrast
with other communities boasting a
higher civilization which we do not ad-
NIT. Our State has been signally free
from these outbreaks of lawlessness
which find their origin in a lax Or cor
rupt administration OF the laws, in race
prejudices, and in the unfriendiy rela-
tons between capital and labor, such as
have occurred, have been quietly, quick
ly and effectively suppressed. The law
is to-day supreme in Louisiana. The
different and elsewhere ~antagonistic
races that constitute her cosmopolitan
population dwell together in peace and
amity. Each recognizes the rights of
the other, and equal justice is dispensed
to all. With this record, the Democracy
can justly claim the support Of all true
and good citizens of this Commonwealth.
''If elected. / shall go into the execu-
tive Office absolutely without pledges or
promises to any man or set Of men. |
shall go untrammeled by any promise or
obligation, and free to do my full duty
to the Democratic party, to the good
people of this grand Commonwealth,
and to continue the good work already
begun"
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