The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-10-15
HON. LEON R. SMITH
A CANDIDATE FOR THE STAT +
LEGISLATURE.
PLATFORM ENl!NcI.lTED
Questions of Interest to the People.
His Views Presented Clearly and in
telligently-What May Be Expected
of Him if Elected.

a candidate tor the Legislature, ana pre-
serts his views as follows
To the Democratic Voters of Ca 10
Parish: In submitting myself as acand.-
date for representative from Caddo par
ish to the General Assembly, l deem it
proper. that I announce my views and
state the principles that l will stand for
if elected | believe in candidates de-
claring their position upon the live ques-
tons at issue before the people.
In conformity with this belief | beg
to submit the following as my platform
OF principles:
I. l favor further reduction in
State, parish and municipal taxes. With
the increase of assessments should go
the reduction OF taxation.
With an economical administration OF
the States needs, the present assess
ments will enable the next General AS
sembly to make material reduction in
the State tax rate.
2. To the end that the legislators OF
the State may better serve their SOW
ere;gns, the people, will if elected, ad-
vocate laws that will suppress lobbying
3. AS the Legislature elected i'll 1905
will have the power to repeal the poll
tax provision of the Constitution, an
nounce myself as being in favor of re-
tention of this prerequisite for voting
believing that it is the greatest guaran-
tee of fair elections.
d. | believe in testing in the courts
the right of the neighboring railroad
commissions to erect an artificial barriel
against Louisiana trade at the State line
s. | believe that the State should TN,
dertake the general supervision of gooe
road building, supplementing the worl
already being done by the parishes.
hold that this subject is of vital import
ance to our future progress. With goo'
roads will come improved countr,
schools.
6. / favor abolishing the fee system
for payment of State officials.
7. l favor paying tax collectors ant
parish treasurers a fixed salary, just an
fair, measured by their responsibility
and the actual work required. Shoul
1.-THE fee system be maintained favo
paving into the public treasury an
amount in excess of fair and just sal
ary.
8. I favor a reduction of the fees pal
sheriffs and clerks in the larger parlshe
of the State.
| 9. l favor the most liberal approprla
tions for~our public schools. l belie'
that the study of agriculture should [
i given a larger place in the currlculu
of the country schools.
I TO- l favor giving life and vigor
the Railroad Commission by increasir
the powers of that body.
II. / favor removal of the fisc
agency banks from State politics, al
favor depositing the State funds WI
those banks paying te highest rate
interest and that give good security
5 acceptable State, parish, municipal
Ilevee bonds instead of Indemnify bond
81 Further, if elected l will advocate t
:. plan now in vogue in other States
: divide the State deposits among the Sc
e eral congressional districts in proportl
to the amount of taxes paid by each.
IL. l favor laws giving greater pr
} ltection to game birds and fish.
nj IA. / favor additional laws to pl
} tect the public funds from defalcatie
The State should have travelling aue
1or, and frequent examinations OF
books and accounts of such ottlc'
should be made as in the case OF bal
and homestead associations.
II ID. I believe the State should prov
~ for its manned and INDECENT sick and
:" that end that our Charity Hosp
should be adequately provided for
IS. l believe the integrity of the
r., mary election law should be preser'
oe as this law has had the effect of rap
emancipating Our people into their
,s- litical freedom.
al 16. The Federal law prohibits
:, granting of rebates as applied to IN
!, state commerce | vii favor If elect'
m like law prohibiting this practice WI
the State:
rH II. I favor stimulating interest
r.. friendly rivalry in agricultural purs
and to that end | believe the State
should receive appropriations from
.rk tState until it is on a self-supporing .
S. I8. The local option law giving
community the right of local self