New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1910-12-10
THE ELECTION OF THORNTON

sembly Of the State of Louisiana,
called INTO special session to trans
act the regular business of the
State that needed immediate at
tentiun. and incidentally to elect
n Senator to represent the state al
Washington TO FIJI out the unex
PRED term of the late Senator
Samuel Douglas MeEnery, by a
clear majority above all the can
didates elected the Honorable
Judge Thornton of Alexandra, a
gentleman representing the old
school Of Democracy who stands
for equal privileges to all and
special To none While we icel
that the State might have had Il
more energetic representative ~
Congressman Broussard had he
been chosen. as was the wish OF
his friends throughout the Third
District due to his past eNper-
icuce an he lower house at Wash
mgtou. many years since, stlll III
Judge Thornton the state VIII be
equally as well represented as at
any time during the past twenty
years. and the people Of Louisiana
as a whole, ought TO feel proud
of the selection of so distinguished
gentleman. When taken into
copsidera' on Judge Thornton had
been appointed BY the Governor to
this exalted position and which
appointments had been approved
by almost the entire press OF the
ha,r. until the special session OF
the Legislature was convened, u
would have been a great injustice
10 have elected anyone else at the
present time, and deprived Judge
Thornton of his seat. what
seemed strange to us IN the iinai
campaign, was the unwarranted
attack made upon him by the very
men who shortly after his appoint
mcnt by Governor Sanders eK-
pressed themselves as well saIls-
fled with the selection. as IN their
opinion. Judge Thornton was the
ideal man for the honors. due toI
their long acquaintance with MN
aud their knowledge of his sturdy
honesty and unimpeachabe past
record AS a public man.
Senator Thornton $ letter of ac- j;
ceptance:
II little thought fifty years ago,
when. as school boy, in Baton
Rouge. | visited this building dur
ing the session of the Legislature
that some day | would stand be-
fore that body to express my APP
probation of having conferred on
me the most distinguished poiiti-
cal honor in the power OF the
State to bestow.
II accept that POSITION at your
hands with a deep sense of the
sonor that goes with it and like
wise with very deep sense of the
the responsibility attached to It.
And during my term of office
! will work with heart and soul.
nerve and brain to prove myself
not unworthy of the confidence
reposed in me by the governor Of
Louisiana when he appointed me
and by the General Assembly of
Louisiana when it ratified his
Judgment,
And | am fully aware that un-
der other circumstances than the
present. | would not have been the
fi,w, choice of this body Cor this
high position. know well that /
if YOU could have done 50 yoa
would have preferred to again
elect the gentleman on whose
shoulders YOU placed the mantle
last summer
II. of course, can find no fault |
with YOU for that. because il | /,
was a member of this body and
he was a, candidate before it., | +
would unhesi,atingly. vote for !.
him. fully believing that he, is !,
worthy Of the very highest poll !,
tical honor this State could beslow Y
ON him. ..se a . :,
ITO those of veu who have Civ !;
en- me their support ON gn,aads :
either personal, to myself ar be-
cause cf their faith in the COVER !.
nor az Lou siana and their loyal,l
~ to him. and their desire TO re- ;,
sist what they considered pa. "
litical attack on him. / feel gya,e, !
Ml, and 1 feel specially grateful !,
10 those Of you who refused to let =
heir feelings against the gaver-
nor ef the State influence them h
u the extent Of making them OPP :,
pose one who. in their judgment, !,
was qualified for the office, :
against those who expressed their :,
approval Of my qualification, but :.
,oted against me SOLELY because =,
Il their animesity towards the - -
-overnce ef Louisiana | bear no :.
niger or malice, but feel FOR them !.
My sorrow, They are the Judges :,
& their acts and do pot SIT in -
Judgment IN them, ~
|Ays He Il Not prctscticNist ;"
"GentlesNen yoa have already r.
cen informed. through written 4,
and pubic addresses. n
N my general position ON auessI n
ions Of public policy and my spe- h.
ial pcsstscn on scae matters thai ~
tally concern this State, 1t is pos. -
bile from some Things, | have
card and read that my true pa. q,
itsen IN the tariff question may IN,
OF be lhally understood in some In,
arts Of the State, And | wish -,
, say snw that il is not far 10 q,
AArge any one Of ysa with Aav. =.
* voted for pretectsoaist in
he sense in which that term : *
enerllx used politically. new ~,
havss h.,e,, never flasm,xi 10 be. u.