The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-07-07
GOVERNOR SANDERS
His Election Criticised "As an Insult to
Louisiana, to Its Laws and to Its
People"

I1mes-Democrat July 6: "The San
ders programme was carried out yes
terday by the Legislature in every de-
tail, the Governor receiving a large
majority in the House and all but one
vote IN the Senate. Today the two
houses will meet together and officially
proclaim Jared Young Sanders the
United States Senator from Louisiana,
to fill the unexpired term of the late
Senator McEnery for five years.
The expected programme went
through, and Mr.. Sanders will now
serve Louisiana in the United States
Senate for the next five years, going to
Washington without pledge or promise,
and the voters having no knowledge of
how he stands on any of the great ma
tlonal problems before Congress, ex-
cept on the income tax, upon which he
differs with the Democratic senator's
and the Democratic party. He is thus
thoroughly independent, bound by no
platform pledges or promises, having
refused to take the Legislature or the
people into his confidence and retaining
the undoubted right to do as he chooses
on all questions, being in nowise re-
sponsible to the Legislature.
He has reserved for himself also
complete independence in regard to the
Governorship, and here also the orig
lnal programme will be strictly carried
out. He will hold both offices, the
governorship and the senatorship, until
Congress meets in December, so as to
see that the State is in good hands, and
Will arrange who shall succeed him in
the governorship and who hold the
other State Offices.
"What Governor Sanders career in
the Senate will be we can not say He
will be the youngest senator and very
different from most of the other mem
bers of a body where the doctrine of
dignity and GOODNESS prevails That he
Is man of force and powerful speak
er none will deny, and although he is
completely out of accord with the ira
dltlons of the Senate, he may make his |
way there, if the manner of his election |
does not injure him.
None the less, the election of Gov
ernor Sanders in the way he was
chosen is an insult to Louisiana, to its |
laws and to its people. AS far as the
Federal government is concerned it is
legal enough; but for the State it is
tainted because it deprives the people
of Louisiana of their most cherished
right-the right to choose their own
senator's.
The fimsy excuse for violating the
law, and robbing the voters of their
rights offered by Senator Elder and
other parties to this undemocratic work,
will find no echo in the hearts of the
people. The Legislature, they tell us,
was not usurping powers, but acting
only in the interest of the people, to
save them the expense and turmoil of
a primary. There are always noble,
generous politicians anxious to seize all
The powers Of the State, fill all the Of
hoes, take all the pap, to save the voters
he worry and turmoil of a primary or
an election. Let the politicians run the
government and you will have nothing
o worry over
The job has been put through as
many other political jobs before, but we
lave not seen the end The insult to
he voters has been made as offensive
IS possible; the law has been violated
more openly and unbrushingly than |
yer before in any primary State. And !
his insult and this violation ought to
e, and will be, remembered against all
hose engaged in it.
If the voters propose to hold their
over, if the primary is to be perpetu-
ted, another fight must be made against
hose politicians who wish to destroy I
emocratic government in Louisiana :; l
nd no one can doubt how that fight :
ill end who remembers the courage,
enthusiasm and success with which the
eople of this State have ever strug- Il Il
led for popular and democratic gov
rnmef1t"
AN APPEAL 81