The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1905-06-10

has gone down in history as the worst
| legislature ever seen in our state AnG
| why? Because the honest majority was
split up between the two great political
/ parties and those on the minority side
voted for vicious Doodle bills so as to
cast the odium of enacting bad Iegisla-
ton upon the party in power. They
placed allegiance to party above their
simple duty.
The clique plays politics, se1f-interest
ambition. Doodle and reciprocity to win
And as the average legislator after all
/ is but the average man and is suscepti-
average American, the clique generally
wins out Particularly If the speaker
| is member Of the clique. There have
been legislatures where one man held
| the balance of power, made himself
| speaker and then and there formed a
| one-man clique. But even in such cases
the speaker had to recognize the es-
sentials Of reciprocity and compromise,
so the rule held good.
When fatty refused to bow to the
dictation of the state leaders of my
party and bIindly accept the list of house
committees they had made for me was
forced to organize clique. My refusal
meant a fight and to successfully fight
back had to control legislation. / was
determined that, if possible. no scandal
should attach itself to my administra-
ton of house affairs At the same time
l recognized my inability to prevent
grating and boo6ling. because / knew
there were not enough hours in a day
or enough days in a session to allow a
speaker to properly study and watch
every bill. resolution or other measure
introduced and at the same time perform
the routine Of his Office. There is such
a thing as physical impossibiIity.
Then. too, there are thousand and
one ways by which the payer can slip
money unobseryed and unheeded TO the
paid, and always there are some who
seem to think it necessary to do what
often is unnecessary-pay for votes.
But l felt able to keep down what is
commonly called vicious legislation
even though I might put On as chair
men Of important committees N embers
whose records Indicated they were will
ing to aid in the passage of Doodle"
bills. I was not so sanguine as to the
pot boilers
.
Within week after breaking" with
the state magnates of my party had
made up and announced the standing
committees Of the house. At once be-
came the object of severe criticism by
many people and newspapers who did
not seem to be able TO measure the diff
ference between conditions and theories.
Some of the chairmen I had selected for
important committees had had much to
do with enacting legislation in the
previous general assembly which had
raised loud cries of Doodle" | could
not publicly explain. without disclosing
my plan Of campaign, that these men had
promised they would stand by me to the
bitter end and that promise implied
radical change Of conduct.
/ played politics when I selected such
men. Each had devoted following il
the house.. Each was strong man. ard
because they were strong men and lead
ers they, too, resented the attempts Of
the political leaders to place the legis-
lature under the control Of an outside
organization By taking these "blacE-
listed, men into my organization. MAX
ing them members of the speakers
clique. I not only strengthened my own
position but materially weakened the
opposition I did not like the eaustic
criticisms of the press; they hurt. but
felt / could afford to wait until results
proved the success of my policy.
Soon after the announcement of the
house committees q man called on me
at my room in the hotel. He was an old
acquaintance He had seen a dozen ses-
sions Of the legislature come and go. for
he was the legislative agent Of an i'm
portant railroad He was not a lobby
ist. for never had / heard Of his ask
ing any member to vote for or against
any bill He came to the state capital
at the beginning of The session and re-
NAMED to the end. watching pending
legislation. quick to report to his PEG
pie any bill, plot, scheme or movement
prejudicia1 TO the interests of the road.
He was quiet, shrewd. pleasant fellow.
a fair poker player. a good story teller
and a perfect encyclopedia Of infor1a-
ton bearing upon the legislature.
MY people are pretty well satisfied
with the make up of your committees"
he began; Il was up to headquarters yes
terday and We talked it over. The old
man told me he didn't want anything
this year. but he did not Wantthe boys
to hold him up with their zeome-all-
yes or other sandhagging bills. He
thinks he sees your game and said il
you would only stand in between the !
road and the petty grafters down here
he would consider as value received the