The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-04-27
Mr.. Harris in the Election.
New Orleans States:

New Orleans States:
In the accounts printed in the
newspapers of the result of the cleo
ton, there is almost invariably men
ton of the fact that Superintendent
Harris ran behind his ticket in the
community from which the account
comes.
Of course. for various reasons, the
discrepancy in no instance was very
large. Mr.. Harris was technically
the Democratic nominee, most Demo
Gratis either were reluctant to vote
anything but straight ticket, or
did not go to the trouble Of mark
ing each individual candidate except
superintendent, and there was only a
Republican opponent to whom the
voter could turn, unless he cared TO
write the name of some one who was
not candidate.
But in the aggregate the vote
against Mr.. Harris was by no means
inconsderable, and the fact that the
manifestation of antagonlsm to him
was not local, but extended to every
parish in the state, shows the depth
Of the resentment toward his course
in the recent campaign.
The recall is not yet In effect in
Louisiana, and Mr.. Harris having
been duly elected to a constitutional
term, will probably continue at the
head Of the public school system
for the next four years. Probably
nothing can, therefore, be gained by
continued agitation Of the subject OF
| his inexcusable action Of dragging
the schools into the morass Of the
late primary.
But it must be clear to every one
| that some good will come out or the
incident 1t was not possible to de-
feat Mr. Harris after he had OBJ
tanned the Democratic nomination;
but he goes into office with knoWl-
edge of the fact that the people OF
Louisiana are irrevocably committed
to the policy Of keeping the schools
out of politics, in so far as that may
be possible, and that no candidate
will ever hereafter be permitted to
aspire to the office of superintend-
emit who does not Loyalty subscribe to
that policy.
| Mr.. Harris obtained an unopposed
| nomination because both in public
and private letters he had expressed
his adherence to that policy. He lost
the confidence of the people, for all
time, we believe, because the mo-
ment he felt himself free from the
| possibility of opposition he deserted
mis- office and took the stump to be-
come the partisan Of the candidate
least entitled among the three to
the support of the people who have
at heart the welfare Of the school
system of Louisiana.
/ Mr.. Harris apologists have in.
sisted on his right as an American
citizen to a preference among the
candidates for governor, and to an
expression Of that preference. No
one contested that right. But the
| overwhelming majority of the PEG.
pie felt that that right did not carry
with the privilege Of making the
schools an issue in a factional politi
cal contest.
We hope the lesson of the recent
election has not been lost on Mr.
Harris. But fof his execrable blum
der he might have entered on his
new administration with the practi
cally solid support Of the people. H
is without that support noW-but W.
trust he has been duly chastened
and that he will SO order his admin
istration to show that he recognize:
| that the people of Louisiana are il
deadly earnest in their determine
ton not to let the schools be made
| anyone's political catspaW.