St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1909-08-28

obnoxious measure.
Much as the Democrats Of the
Senate deplored the attitude which
Senator McEnerY assumed toward the
tariff bill. they were not especially
surprised at his action. During the
course Of the debate be had made d
speech, which was not only an en-
dorsement Of the pending bill, but
also an argument in favor Of protect
ion which he tried IN vain to argue
was a Democratic doctrine. He
placed himself squarely antagonistic
to the platform of his party, aTowed
himself a proteetionist, and like SEN
ator Hepburn there was no duty too
high for him to support. While Nc
Emery, assuming to be a Democrat,
holding a commission from a Demo-
cratic legislature, and representing a.
Democratic constituency, was voting
as a Republican protectionist, there
were in the Senate ten progressive
Republicans who were voting On al
most every roll call with the Dem
ocrats for lower duties. Even SEN
ator MeEnery's colleague, Senator
Foster Of Louisiana, while voting for
revenue duties on sugar, rice and
lumber in the production Of which
bis State is largely interested, main
tanned a more consistent position by
voting with his party against the
passage Of the measure.
If a man who lives in Louisiana has
done one Of the two things, he may
commit almost any sort of political
ofense, and while the people as a
whole may not entirely forgive him,
they viii tolerate and respect him.
II he fought in the Confederate Army
and fought for white supremacy during
the dark and bloody days Of recon
struction he may do almost anything
else and still retain a strong hold
upon their affection. Senator MeEnery
did both. He began his education at
the United States Naval Academy,
but left that institution while an I'M
der graduate and entered the Univer
sity Of Virginia. Subsequently he
graduated from the National Law
School at Pougkeepsie, N. z. He
entered the Confederate Army at the
Of the war and rose to be
colonel Of one Of the Louisiana
regiments, but the one regret Of his
ife has been that he failed to- attain
rank Of brigadier general. His
record as a soldier entitled him to
lonor and distinction in his State
md he has had both for b generation.
.lbeit he has fourteen years miarepre-
ented the predominating political {
eminent Of Louisiana, in the United /
itates Senate, and spoken and acted /
Or a small proportion Of the voters j
/ the State. J
It vas during the days Of recon /
truction that MeEnery became a !
oIitical factor ii his State. His /
vas the late John McEneY J
{ the 'McEnerY Legislature fame. /
nd Samuel Douglas McEnery was !
ne of the CONSPICUOUS leaders who I
ought for years against the %terrors :
{ negro domination which prevailed !
~
or a decade in Louisiana following !
be close Of the war, produced chaos !
nd saddled the State and every par- s
ID in it with overwhelming debt, and i
objected the white citizen to unbear- i
bic grievances and humiliation. The /
avs Of the carpetbaggera, the days 1
hen Kellogg, Yarmouth and ]. Mad I
ION Wells the Warwick" with their 3
egro following of Pinehbacks and /
be others, were days Of the most b
rying ordeal for Louisiana, and her
eople have never forgotten them, t
nd they are not likely soon to forget p
McEnery was one of those G
'ho did their utmost to restore order q
wv and white supremacy, and Louis 5
mans still remembers his service t
d was first elected Lieutenant-Gov A
NOR along with E. A. Witt in 1879, c
Id upon the death Of Witt succeed d
! TO the governorship. IN 1884 he
as eleted Governor IN his own right j;
I'D If was during his full term that 9
hite supremacy became complete G
the State. Ii is small wonder then G