St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1903-12-26
TheJaStremSkiA

General JaStremSKlS pOnClC&l sup.
porters have at last succeeded in Or
ganizing = campaign committee and
have issued an address in his behalf.
The claim made for him was that he
was the original advocate of primary
elections for nominating candidates for
public Office in the State. This is =
mistake, as is shown by the fact that
the act of 1900 was passed by the Cen
eral Assembly of Louisiana The law
was enacted in response to a long,
cherished and repeatedly expressed de-
mand for some legislation that would
surround with safeguards the nom1na-
ton as we'll as the election OF pubic
officers. But the fact remains that
when the General announced his candi-
dacy he only declared himself In favor
Of what the law gave HIM.
Another one of his political virtues
which is trumpeted in the address is
that he declared himself In favor o.
stripping the Governor OF all political
patronage. It is difficult to see any
special merit in this proposition.
Should he be elected, he will 60 into
Office possessed of all the patronage
that pertained to his predecessors, and
he will undoubtedly make prompt use OF
it.
General Jastremski is surrounded and
followed by all the politicians who
have any length of time been out OF
lob. and he will be in duty bound to
put them in public place as promptly
as possible. Any failure to do this
would load him with condemnation
from his numerous retalners, and 1t ID
a foregone conclusion that be would,
"A soon as he should be indicted into
Office. set to work to turn out those who
hold places from any previous admins
tration and to I'LL up the Offices with
his own friends.
Should the Legislature undertake to
deprive the Executive office OF my
of its patronage, it Is not likely
that the law would take effect until the
expiration of the terms of his ap'
pointees, and where any of the officers
are constitutional appointees. a constl-
tutional amendmant ratified by the
neOple would be necessary to make 1t
authoritative.
There is, therefore, no danger that any
appointees of General Jastremkt would
have anything to fear from his savage
determine ton t., strip the Executive Of
tice of it's power and patronage. He
and his crew would enjoy it to the
fullest extent, and the den"ded govern
orsbip would be left to his successors,
since he cannot succeed himself.
Suppose it were made Known that as
soon as the Legislature can act after
the next election, and that will be Inn
mediately, all appointive offices will be
made elective and all appointments
will be at o0ce vacated before the end
of the year. Does anybody suppose
that the politicians out-of-a-job iwouid
follow him another day2 No; the
grand preteDsion made by. theIGeneral's
friends that She does not want public
patronage and would gladly give it IN
at the arst opportunity, is too absurd
to be for moment credited. No man
in public place wants to get rid OF those
prerogatives and privileges that add
to the power and dignity Of his admins
tration.
II General Jastremski should be elect
ed, he will WELD the public patronage
in way to do him the most good. He
would be in no manner better than the
honorable and great men who have be-
fore him been Governor, aad he conld
no: be if he would. The address In his
behalf says all that can be said for him,
and that is very little apart from his
personal merits.-Picayune.