The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-04-13
DEFENDING An INDEFENsIBLE
ACTION.

we believe, the only paper IN the
state that has had the courage, or
the haIdihood, to come out with
double-leaded editorial in defense OF
the indefensible course of State Su-
perintendent of Public Education i.
4. Harris during the recent cam
paign. Determined to go the Whole
hog while at it; the esteemed con-
temporary not only double-leaded the
article, but put it in black-faeed type |
to further display and emphasize us
utterances.
The CAPTION of the article is The
Schools and Politics." and the text
was found in the choking off OF the
resolution o .ffs e at the meeting q
the Democratic State central com
mittee on March 10, calling upon
Mr.. Harris to resign his candidacy
for state superintendent because OF
the bad faith he had practlced TO
the false averments by which he pre-
vented opposition and obtained MS
nomination. The New Advocate de-
clares that "1tis well for Louisiana,
and for Louisiana's public schools
! that the resolution y was
| defeated by the adjournment OF the
committee and follows this extraY-
agant assertion with a labored effort
to justify the candidates dupllclty on
the pretexts that Long before Mr..
/ Harris spoke, the school system OF
/ Louisiana was being attacked from
every stump where Hall spokesman
talked: :" that "Mr. Harris was goaded
and prodded' by these ignorant at
Itacks;" that 'tOn every stump, Hall
| men during the campaign sought to
i declare that the Sanders admlnlstra-
tioli was using the schools for poll
!. ties inferentially damning Harris as
tool in the using" that Harris
| was bitterly resentful Of mlsstale
ment Of conditions that he deemed
an attempt to besmirch the schools
i in order to stir up political ire il
favor Of a gubernatorial candidate.
: and that ..Thus was he forced, as hf
I thought. to choose, and to do VIVA
! The could to keep the work OF TIT
schools cleansed in the minds OF tht
f public from the mud Of political at
| tack.
8 Even this over-zealous defender Q
e the indefensible is not prepared Z
1 give the beneficiary Of it's effort
I an unqualified Endorsement, however
d as witness this admission: We q
"a not say Mr.. Harris showed 900
n Judgment, politically Then th
it counsel for the defense makes pt
e culiar display OF its own good Juds
IS ment and discretion by exclaImln
il that ssMr. Harris would forfeit To
respect. of everyone did he heed tn
clamorous, place-hunting pack how
ing at his heels. rather Vlcloo
and altogether libelous characterlz;
lei ton of the many reputable citizen
n and newspapers of the state Wh
IL have criticized and condemned u
le perfidious conduct of Mr.. Harris.
as 1t is no reflection upon the ablll1
b. or sincerity of the New Advocate
Id express the conviction that its DO
ne ble-leaded, black-faced plea detrac
DIS nothing from the wholly reprenens
ne BILE violation by Mr.. Harris OF II
es tacit pledge he had given the Peep
he not to mix the schools with pc
OF ties;'' offers no adequate excuse +
,ol the cunning duplicity which deferrf
the declaration of his partlsansn
lie until the time had passed when d
on conduct could be resented by putin
to up an opposing candidate; and, abo
Its all. furnishes no extenuation OF q
he flagrantly offensive declaration fro
vs. the stump thaL TIE eieCtioh VI y oo
re- Hall-now the chosen Democrat
candidate and soon to be the &c
cir ernor-elect-"W would set the pub
til school system of the state back t
SO years"
or Evidently Mr.. Harris has
Ia thought of relinquishing the can
dacy which he secured by false pl
he lenses and the only effective W
Ia the people have of recording tn
Mt. disapproval and resentment OF
in duplicity, is to vote against him
no the coming election.
= 1t is sup to YOU, fellow cltlze
ois of Louisiana, to say whether a M
OF who has made such a record is
titled to be placed at the nead
IN your public school system.
en-. Elks' Officers Installed.