St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1911-05-20
A TALE OF PATRIOTISM
OF THE G. 6. LEAGUE
Observer, Ia Judge HalPs Home Town, Tells
An Interesting Story.
MANY YEARS OFFICE HOLDER
Is Not willing TO ReIlnquIsh Present Office
Until he CInChes
Another.

dope" =.
this morning, | hardly know
where to begin, = was the saluta-
ton of the Observer as he
glanced longingly at the easy
chair which had been preempted
by the lounger. But first
want to easy my mind on one
point, and at the some time en-
tighten an anxions public regard
| ing the distribution Of patronage
in the city. | told you Saturday
| would try and inform you as to
the plans. Well, | do not believe
there will be any changes in the
"official family" all the old
officials, it seems, will be re-
elected or appointed, and two adj
ditional policemen will be named.
This may be wrong dope, but it
was given to me as the re |
articles. ("
A seeker after knowledge
asked me Saturday night what
was the difference between the
Regulars and the Good Govern
ment Leaguers. promptly re-
piled: There is no difference,
between the ms and the outs.
And to my unsophisticated mind
that is the whole problem in a
nutshell. The Regulars want to
stay in, and the Leaguers want
to get in, and in order to stir up
a sentiment in their behalf the
Leaguers arrogate to themselves
all the virtues sof the decalogue.
That might fool senae people, but
not many.
For instance, take the Her,
John M. Parker as a horrible ex-
ample. What's his political rec
ord? He has boxed every corner
of the political compass and now
poses as a full-fedged reformer.
They do say he voted for Presi-
dent Taft, less than two years
ago, and affiliated, before that
time, with the 'Black-and-T Tan
element Of the Republican party.
That may or may not be true, but
there does not seem to be any
doubt about his having voted for
Taft against Democratic candl-
date. Yet, in the face OF this
disIoyalty, he essays to lead the
Good Government forces, and
even succeeded in inducing our
peerless Hall to consent to the
use of his name in an effort to
break up the play house OF the
Regulars. =
Having warmed up to the sub
iect, the Observer continued:
s'Who are the other alleged re-
formers? Every last mothers
son of them have held Office for
a number of years, or have
sought Office and were turned
down by the voters. c. Harrison
Parker was one of the seven tax
collectors of the City of New Or
leans, and there is no re cor q
showing that he ever turned
back to the oppressed tax payers
one cent of the enormous COM
missions he collected. Then he
was made president of the Board
of Control of the Louisiana peni-
tentiary, and held on to that re-
munerative job until he would be
pried loose by Governor Sanders.
Now he is a shouting reformer.
So it is all down the line. Per-
haps one in one hundred is moved
by the altruistic motives to es-
pouse the cause of the Good Gov
ernment, but the other ninety
nine are after the Office with fat
salray attachments. That's pa
triotism nit.
An instancesat home is furnish
ed by our own Judge Hall. He
has held office for O, so long.
He first served in the State SEN
ate. then was elected judge OF
the District Court, serving eight
years; then. he was elevated to
the Circuit Court Of Appeals, af-
ter a hard fight, serving the full
term, but grabbing the Supreme
Court bench before he relinquish-
ed the other position, and now he
wants to be governor, but has not
indicated his willingness to let
go one office until he has cinched
another. 1t must be confessed
that Judge Hall has shown more
real patriotism than any OF the
others, but still he may never be
called on to surrender the posi-
ton he has cinched on the Su-
preme Court bench, as many are
inclined to the belief that Judge
Hall, without his knowledge, was
a straw man put up to scare
Ransdell from the governorship,
which he had under serious con-
(Co,,A;,,,,l,I ~, 44anea IL