St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1912-02-03
That He Would Have Guion
Try Election Cases.
Attorney Adams Determined
to Go On With Trials.
Good Government League to
Give Best Legal Help.

Following is copy of the letter
addressed to Attorney-General Guion
by Gov. Sanders:
"Hon. Walter Guion, Attorney-Gen-
eral, State of Louisiana, New Or
leans, Louisiana:
My Dear Sir:-On Jan. 20, issu-
ed the following statement to the
people of Louisiana, which was pub
lished in the press of Date Jan. %,
1912:
As there is a confli t between the
Attorney-general of the State and
the District Attorney of the parish OF
Orleans as to the law on the ques-
tion of the right Of voters to call for
assistance in fixing their ballot, de-
sire to announce that, as Governor
OF the State, l corcur in the opinion
of the Attorney-gererel.
l Inow that the purpose tf the
registration sections of the constitu-
tion is to give the right of franchise
to all white men in the State.
/ know that the intention of the
primary election law is to allow any
white man to call for assistance if
he desires same.
The general election law provides
an emblem for the voter; the pri-
mary law provides none; the genera;
election law provides that only those
suffering from physical disability
can ask for assistance; the primary
election law specially omitted the
words physical disability and per-
nltts any voter, whether registered
under the education qualification or
otherwise, to call for assistance, if
he states that he is unable to fix his
ballot The voter is the sole judge
OF his ability to fix his ballot.
/ stand by the opinion of the At
torney-general of the State, who is
the chief legal adviser of all State Of
ficials, and now declare that if any
district attorney, whether in the par
ish of Orleans or any other parish in
this State. institutes or inaugurates
prosecutions against any citizens,
growing out of his calling for assist
ance to fix his ballot, that l will,
under the laws of this State, and par
ticularly under the provisions OF Act
No. s. of 1880, direct the Attorney
general to supplant the district at
tcrney In these cases and take full
charge of same in order that he may
be put in position to give full legal
effect to the opinion already render
ed by himself.
This action on my part is for the
purpose of insuring uniformity in the
enforcement of the election laws
throughout the entire State, and pre-
vent political prosecution by any fac
tion or political prosecution by any
partisan officials.
am informed that the Hon. St.
Clair Adams, district attorney i'll and
for the parish of Orleans, ha3 filed
informations in the Criminal District
Court the parish of Orleans against
numerous citizens of the parish Of
Orleans. who asked for assistance in
the preparation of their ballots at
the primary election held on Jan.
%, 1912.
Acting in accordance with the
statement previously issued BY me,
and under the provisions OF the laws
OF this State, / hereby request you,
as Attorney-gcneral OF Louisiana, 70
take charge of oil these prosecutions
that have been instituted by infor-
nation, or which may hereafter be
instituted by information, or by in
dictment, in the Criminal District
Court of the parish of Orleans, or
any other parish of the State where
similar action may be taken and
conduct said prosecutions according
to YOUR Interpretation of the statute
governing this matter.
Respectfully yours,
]. Y. SANDERS. Governor.