The Opelousas courier., 1904-01-16
BLANCHARD AND THE SCHOOL
TAX.

rist' as Told in His Jeweila
Speech. Extract Quoted From
"The Shreveport Times"
Judge Blanchard then said that one
Of the charges preferred against him
In the letter was that he was an enemy
Of education. That charge was based
on the fact that some years before he
refused to sign a petition for a volun-
tary tax for the construction of the
high school in Shreveport. This refus-
al he could have easily and s~atisfacto-
rily explain. About ten or twelve
years ago the Cotton Belt railroad was
knocking at the doors of Shreveport.
The road had been contemplated as
far rs New Louisville, and the ques-
tion that confronted the public-spirit-
ed men of Shreveport was whether
the road should enter the Queen City
or turn aside in another direction.
A mass meeting was held in Shreve-
port for the purpose of inducing the
road to enter the city. It was unani-
mously resolved to secure the Cotton
Belt system, but the legal require
ments demanded the delay of forty
days before the special tax could be
voted. The president Of the road, who
was present, stated that he could not
wait forty days. He said he must
know at once whether the city of
Shreveport would vote the tax for the
road or he must turn the tracks for
the road in another direction. He
suggested that q number Of the pub
lic-spirited men Of Shreveport sign a
bond insuring the voting Of the tax
and he Judge Blanchard) and a
number Of others signed this bond,
pledging themselves to secure the pas
sage Of the tax and bring the railroad
10 Shreveport.
The tax was subsequently voted,
but it fell $1,000 short of the require
ments. The railroad sued the gentle
men who had signed the bond and got
judgment. They were compelled to
pay the difference and, though it was
q debt Of honor, the city Of Shreve-
port has never reimbursed them for
their losses. Subsequently, when a PEE
tition for a special tax to construct
the high school was presented TO
Judge Blanchard, he said to those who
presented it: Myself and those
gentlemen who were with me on the
Cotton Belt bond are several laps
ahead Of you gentlemen in the matter
Of contributing to public enterprise.
When you construct the high school
you will have reached our plane Of
public assistance. In order, howev-
er, to show my friendliness for the
proposition you represent, I am will
ing to sign over to you my share of
the obligation virtually incurred by
the city OF Shreveport when we were
forced to pay the deficit on the Cot
ton Belt bond. You can take that
sum and apply it to the construction
Of the high school or any other school
purposes"
"I do not think there is q mar with
q spark of fairness in his make up
said Judge blanchard, "who viii not
say that my position in this matter
vas just and equitable. When the pc
tition for d school tax of $4,000 for
school purposes was presented to me
two years ago I signed it willingly,
for tbs conditions that existed on the
first occasion did not then exist. The
city Of Shreveport has never paid the
$1,000 which the Cotton Belt forced
the signers of the bond to pay.
THE REAL FACTS.
The following article il from the
Shreveport Courier. Il appeared Au-
gust % last, and not one charge has
been denied:
ia stentorian tones, Judge Blanch-
md proclailns himself the friend Of the
public schools. Those who dare ques-
ton bis loyalty are denounced as Sian
dersrs. We reply that 1Faish with
cut works Is dead. His present
words Will not compare with his past
gecord. The voice is Jacob j voice,
bnk the hands are hands of Esau.
III 1897 the children dc Shreveport
mere huadled together ID rickety,
parnshke structures unworthy the
nAne of school houses. Il Was imper-
aklFe that their discomfort be reliev-
~ MD hak modern u~p-t0-date