The Progress., 1896-12-19
Everything GOeS;.BccauSc!

was nothing new, strange or startling II
this; it was generally conceded that thu
Hon. J. NJ, carried number OF commiss.
ions in his pocket, signed and sealed ir
blank by the governor, to be doled out by
the Caddo dignitary, in both Caddo ano
Bossier parishes, where they would do the
administration the most good OF course
the Hon J. NJ. could not turn himself dowr
without admitting that His Excellency
had placed his business in the wrong
hands, and he must have himself fOl
something, so he filled out a Caddo Leyet
commission for himself. He knew he
could depend on the big Senator from this
parish or district 40 say, recommended
it. All this The Progress does not daddy;
it dasn't because it is skeered. This was
whispered to our rambler by a mighty re-
liable and well-posted bird though, and
while we will not swar to it, it will re-
quire some powerful arguments to remove
our belief that it is so.
Well the members OF the Board from
Ward s protested strongly against the APP
pointment OF the Caddo chief, declared
that the Executive had ignored the will OF
those interested in Caddo levee work no
new role for the governor-and' demanded
the withdrawal OF the appointment, and
called mass meeting to be held in Shreye
port on Wednesday last, to allow others to
interested to follow suit. Then the Her.
aid interfered, claiming it to be unconstitu
tional for Mr.. Foster to be police Juror
and member OF the Levee Board at the
same time.
In the meantime the day for the meet
ing drew on apace, and they do say that
Mr.. Foster kept the pavements HOT, as he
hustled about, corralling his friends and
enjoining on the necessity for being "thar
or thar abouts, on call" They do tell
also, that country friends rode more than
a dozen horses down, visiting every nook
and Granny OF the swamps where any one
lived who possessed foot OF land, subject
to overfiow-who could be persuaded to
come to town to help out, or sign resolu-
tons already writ for the purpose
Wednesday arrive and the rasled ones
were indeed thar and thar abouts-and in !
the majority. Generously-alf who are |
with Mr.. Foster know how
very magnanymous(? he generally is in a
politicsi meeting when he knows he has a,
the gentlemen fIom Ward were
the Craftsmanship, and as gsner-
ously declined-even to go into the meet
ng. Then proceedings were gone into,
hose set speeches made, those resolutions
we're adopted, declaring the gentleman un
Ter discussion a MOST capable man.
That meeting wCuld-no doubt-have
ust as readily indGrsed the declaration
hat HE WAS THE FAMOUS MoUNTAINEER
Who BUTTED THE LEGENDARY BULL OFF
IF THE BRIDGE; or the celebrated man
rom Snake Root Bend who had had fifty
lilies in ONE SUMMER.
When the meeting was over, Mr. Foster
walked off-so THEY sAY-as proud as
10Y with his first pants on.
But what effect will this Endorsement ,
ave? is the general query by those not d.
ectly interested in the matter in dispute.
'oes it refute the allegations made by the
entlemen from Ward s? Does it settle
ne point OF constitutionality raised by
he Herald?
Art 1T OF the constitution declares,
No person shall hold or exercise, at the =
,me time, more than one office of trust
r profit, except that OF justice OF the
eace or notary public"
Under this emphatic declaration, can d
If. J. M. Foster legally serve as police S
lror and member OF the levee board? Is II
lie office OF police juror an office Of trust r
profit? 1t pays $500 per day for every
ny in session, we believe. Does the Office
member of the 1evee board come under Il
lie restrictions Of the constitution? Is it G
! office OF trust? Does it pay anything? a
THE PROGRESS is reliably informed that ;,
ov. Foster informed Capt. j. C. Soape
lat he could not legally hold the office y
assessor and returning officer at one
Id the same time. Is the Executive now
ady to reverse himself? Has he discov-
ed his error, and as manly man, is
illing to openly acknowledge his fault?
course the personnel of the two gentle
en- and their respective attitudes towards
mself politically, would have no influ-
ce in the case.
From authority equally as good THE v
aOGREss learns that our Judge A.. D. n
md informed Mr. s. N. Kerley that he
qn not hold the Office of jury commits
,ner and clerk of the levee board at one I
& the same time.
Could Judge Land have been so ignor- II
t OF the law? Or is the clerk OF the 81
ara--who holds no commission from 4
e governor-superior to the members OF
e board who do?
As the governor was undoubtedly right q
the first instance with Capt. Soape, W
d Judge Land equally SO with Mr.. Ker- IS
;, there remains but one conclusion 10
ere has been a change in the constitu- Dt
n, Known only to Gov Foster and Sen "
If Barrett, and made to apply to Mr.. ]. n,
Foster alone; and he is legally mem fr
OF the Police Jury and Levee Board. .