The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1912-01-20
LouiSiana'S Great Senator.

1t would argue an ignorance of con.
ditions here to introduce Senate,
Murphy J. Foster to the people Of
Louisiana. AS state senator for
twelve years he had brilliant and
honorable career, which was fittingly
crowned by his election as governor
OF Louisiana, in the great campaign
which overthrow the power OF the
Louisiana lottery in state politics.
| HIS administration of the executive
Office for two terms of four years each
is still pointed to as reaching the
hlgh-water mark of administration
excellence and craftsmanship.
During his administration the pre-
sent flour lshing state schools for the
industrial training of the youth of
Louisiana were established, one at
Lafayette, in south Louisiana, and the
other at RustOn, in north Louisiana.
About three million dollars of the
public debt was paid.
lnerest on the states deposits was
exacted from the fiscal banks for the
first time.
More leyees were constructed in
Louisiana than during any similar
period in the states history,
The law restoring to the people the
right to elect their police jurors was
enacted upon his Initiative
The constitutional convention was
held, which ushered in new era upon
Louisiana.
The ballot was confided securely to
the keeping of the intelligent white
electorate.
With that record of brilliant con-
structive work to his credit the people
sent him to the United States Senate
Ia l9OO, without dissenting vote in
either house.
There his ability and high character
at once commanded recognition and
ne was awarded important committee
assignments.
He is the ranking Democrat on the
military affairs committee, second to
the ranking Democrat on the commit
tee on appropriations and on inter
state commerce, he is chairman of the
committee on the transportation and
sale OF meats and ranks high on four
other important committees.
Senator Foster visited the Orient
when the question of establishing our
relations with the newly-acq uired
Philippine Archipelago was under
consideration and studied at close
range the problems posed by that
event.
He has employed the knowledge thus
acquired to the advantage of his state |
and country when their interests have
been threatened by adverse legislation. |
Senator Foster was chairman of the
subcommittee that drafted the nation
al quarantine law and put it through
Congress.
AS member of the interstate CON-
MERGE committee he assisted in franz
ing and enacting such important con-
structive legislation as the law pro-
hibiting rebating by railroads, the
law comforting upon the Interstate
Commerce Commission regulatory
power over railroads, the model child
labor law for the District of Columbia
and other important legislation. |
1t was his superb management that
defeated the attempts made in the
Senate last August to place rice on
ID free list and to reduce the duty on
sugar to a point which would havej
meant the destruction of that great
industry.
LOuisiana's senior senator is re-
,ognized as one of the nations ereatj
senator's and his ripened Judgment.
lis acknowledged ability and strongl
PERSONAL influence in the Senate make
lis retention there a matter of the ut
most Importance to the people of
4ouisiana.-New Orleans Picayune.