The Caucasian., 1911-07-11
GOVERNOR SANDERS.
His Defense at Ruston Criticised by
Hon. L. f. ThOmas-Remembered
Blanchard's Bequest but Forgot
the Assets He Left and Ignored His
Reduction of the Tax Rate.

,
Special to the Item.)
Shreveport, La, July 8.-Mr. L. E
Thomas, one of the leading insurg-
ents of the lower house of the Louis
lana Legislature, persistent critic
of Governor Jared Y. Sanders poll
cies, of state, gave the Item today a
brief criticism of the Governors
apology for himself which Mr. San
ders delivered at the recent meeting
lat Ruston. The correspondent asked
lMr. Thomas for his opinion of the
address as a defense of the past four
Iyears of Louisiana's state appropria-
ton.
Governor Sanders defense of his
administration" said Mr.. Thomas,
'while weak, was the best that could
have been made by any one. 1t was
unique in that it laid special empha-
sis on things that had not been criti-
cised by any one, such as the build
ing of roads, levees and the like, but
left without any defense at all some
of the worst counts for which this
administration has been condemned.
I'm the first place, he did not say
e. single word about the $50 or more
new office holders created by his
administration, nor anything what
ever about the salary raisers passed
by the last two sessions of the Cen
eral Assembly. amounting to hun
dreds of thousands of dollars. sup
pose he thought that would be
found out from other sources. He
never mentioned game wardens one
time during his speech,
His explanation of why he had
not paid anything on the state debt
was certainly lame. He said that as
sessments had been increased some
one hundred and fifty million during
Governor Blanchard's administra-
ton, and only twenty millions, not
including 1911, during his admins
tration. But he failed to say that
Governor Blanchard had reduced
the state tax from six mills down to
five mills, reduction of i6 2-3 per
|cent.
He also charged that Governor
Blanchard left some 100000 of float |
ing debts which he had to take care
of-for which items Governor Blan-
chard is well able to answer. How
ever, he failed to say that he had [
expended 100000 left him by Gov i
|ernor. Blanchard from the sale of the
quarantine station at the mouth of |
the Mississippi river, and that he
had received $4,000 from the special
taxes collected by the Game Com
mission and from other sources, and |
that at the present time the State |
owes the fiscal agent banks some
thing over $4,000 for borrowed |
money which has not been paid.
while he praised his administra-
ton for what had been done for the |
Confederate soldiers, he failed to say
that he had deprived them of |
100000 to which they were entitled
by vote of the people; and that the
people had been compelled to vote
an additional tax of one-f1fth of
mill upon themselves in order to pay |
the pension due the Confederate SOL |
diers because the State treasury was
exhausted land there was nothing
with which to pay them.
He also failed TO say anything of |
how he had appointed Judge Thorn
ton as United States senator and |
then forced his election through the
Legislature, in utter disregard of the |
primary election law.
He likewise failed to discuss the |
railroad lobby which was so con-
spicuous at both sessions of his
legislature, the members of which |
lobby spent large part of their
time in his own office.
In fact, his address was as con-
spieuous for what it did not say as
ii was weak in its endeavor to prove |
that the governors platform prom
ises had been redeemed to the peo-
pie of this State. II there was any
bomb exploded by the address, no
one heard IL. But while the Gov
ernor was speaking, | heard some
old farmer at the back of the audi
ence cry out: You fooled us, old boy,
one time, but you can't do it again.
That seemed to be the prevailing
sentiment at the Ruston meeting"