St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1910-09-03

administration not only restored to
the Governor some of the patronage
that had been taken away from him.
he states that which the acts Of the
Legislature prove to be untrue.
POLITICS IN SCHOOLS.
Mr.. Lewis charges specifically that
the public schools Of Louisiana have
been placed, during this administra-
ton, in politics. Every man III
Louisiana knows that preceding this
administration the school boards
were appointiye; it is likewise known
that the people themselves elect their
school boards to-day. It is also
known that, when a vacancy arose in
the office of Superintendent Of Pub
lie Education, I appointed an educa-
tor to that position prof. I. Il. Har-
ris), who had opposed me when | ran
for Governor, and the splendid work
done by him in the interest of educa-
tion in this State is a source Of in
finite qualification to the best citizen
ship Of Louisiana.
During this administration the tax
payers Of this State, BIZ special cleo
tons, have voted locally, for the
cause of public education, the sum
Of $3,948,582, and this, the action
Of the people themselves is the most
convincing and emphatic answer to
the unfounded charge made by Mr..
Lewis that the public school system
has been dragged into politics.
The statement made by Mr.. Lewis
that the independence of the legisla-
tive branch Of the government has
been destroyed by me is an attack
rather upon the Legislature than
upon myself; but, nevertheless. it is
a statement which / resent as a gra-
t@uitous and Wanton Islander against
as splendid body Of men as ever gath
cred in the halls of this historic Cap
itol.
This statement has for a founda-
ton nothing whatsoever, save that
there was a mutual feeling of friend
ship and of confidence between the
Governor and the Legislature, a feel
ing of which I am proud, but, never
theless, a condition unforgiyable by
those who would like to have seen
diseord and bitterness prevail be-
tween the Governors Office and the
legislative halls.
The lobby, as such, does not exist
IN Baton Rouge to-day, Mr.. Lewis to
the contrary, Notwithstanding. While
many and varied interests have their
representatives at Baton Rouge to
look after legislation in which they
are interested, yet there has never
been a suspicion of legislation having
been improperly influenced in this
administration. Any one who want
ed to come to Baton Rouge in the
interest Of legislation did SO, and I
distinctly remember Of having seen
Mr.. Lewis, himself, appearing on
matters in which he had, or thought
be had an interest. There has been
no bribery; there has been no cor
ruption, nor has there been any at
t mp at improperly influencing
legislation by lobbying, or in any
way, during this administration.
NO SCANDAL.
We have had three sessions of the
Legislature since my Inauguration as
Governor, and in all that time not
one word Of scandal has been breath
ed against a single member Of either
body. Every interest in Louisiana
has a right to be heard in matters
pertaining to legislation and every
interest has been heard, and when
the arguments were closed, the
Legislature acted. and acted honest
ly, according to its best Judgment in
every instance.
After the platform utterances of
mine quoted by Mr.. Lewis, in regard
to the business administration of pub
lie affairs had been published many
months, and after | had spoken on
these issues in practically every par
ish in the State, the extra session Of
the Legislature was called by Gov.
Blanchard in 1907, and many Of the
measures advocated BY me in my
platform were enacted into law, and
in this work ! aided and assisted, and
the record bears me out in the state
ment that many Of the reforms that
/ advocated in my campaign for Gov