The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-03-09
CANDIDATE HARRIS LANPOONED
Views of Louisiana Newspapers on
the Perfidious dragging of the
Schools into Politics. by the
Democratic Nominee for State
Superintendent Of Public Educa-
ton.

Superintendent Of Public Educs
ton.
The Chiefs limited space will no
| permit the reproduction of all tha
mas been said by the newspapers @
Louisiana in criticism and derogatio1
Of the faithless course Of State Su
perlntendent of Public Education T
II. Harris during the recent primar,
campaign, but the following repre-
sentative extracts will illustrate tn,
general sentiment of the state pres
on the subject:
The New Orleans Times-Democrat
IN an editorial headed, calling fo1
| Superintendent Harris RESIGNATION.
says:
A mass meeting has been called al
| Lafayette Thursday, Washington
| birthday, by leading citizens of that
section to demand the retirement
from the Democratic ticket of Prof
Thomas Fl. Harris, now superintena.
ent OF education by appointment from
GOV. Sanders, and who stands as the
Democratic candidate for that office
at the coming election, as no one
entered the race against him in the
recent primary.
A streng feeling existed against
Prot. Harris, even before the cam
palgn began, because of his central
Hlng and autocratic views and tend
encles, which feeling was increased
by his undignified action in riding
On the Sanders steam roller in the
Baton Rouge parade, as. evidence that
ne believed in the governors steam
roller method of overriding public
sentiment; but the professor had the
sense to see this, and after the Ba-
ton Rouge affair, he apparently drop
ped all partisan politics and devoted
himself to the duties Of his affce,
even going So Far as ta refuse to
speak ct political meetings lest this
might involve him In the campaign
But as soon as the day for the en-
trance Of candidates passed ana
Prof. Harris saw that he was to have
no opposition for superintendent of
public education, he broke oat in as.
radical and offensive a faeticnaI PC
litieal manner amer IS could 84be CONCEIVED.
lis objection snea at polit-
laa1 s % salizlgs isan Ted and he
became one gf the nd1st Eiolent of
the ring sforators: :s' 1a him WAS aal-
egaIed the task OF carrying north
Louisiana fer Michel. and he at
tempted to do SO by appealing to
thet prejudices of his auditors. He
predicted that the election CT Hal
would bring disaster or ruin to the
public school system Of the state,
and appealed TO the voters to sup
port Michel and the ring as the
friends Of education important school
engagsnients III 1iaten Rouge were
cast aside, ard Mr. Harris time and
services, due to our educational sys-
TEN, We're given over to campaignins |
in4the interest of the ring. The teach
ars and the school children were
rallied at the HarrissMi7 |
3hel meetings, ana IL the supeEintend- /
ant OF education failed in his purpose /
of arousing a prejudice against the I
1ov Democratic candidate. Judge
Hall, soon to be governor Of Louisi-
INA, it was not through any lack Of
bitter denunctation on Mr.. Harris
part, but because his audiences re
used to believe him.
1t was tCo late to remove Mr.. Har-
is name from the Democratic ticket
sfIer the Democratic State Central
Committee had already placed it
here; but the Democrats of Louisi-
ma have none the less awaited an
opportunity Of expressing their feel
ngs towards the professor, and tax. /
ng such action as would minimize
lis Possibilities FOR injuring our
chools by bringing politics into
hem.
It has been suggested that the vo
ers. express their sentiment towards
i'm by refusing to vote for him in
he coming election, but this would |,
g merely an EXPRESSION Of lack Of
onfidenee IN him, which would prob
bly, not be felt by him, as he would
one the less get the office.
The Lafayette meeting viii take ,
ne far more aggressive step of call
lg upon Prof. Harris to resign the ,
@nomination as superin-
endent on account of his pernieious
olitical activity during the last cam
aign, which office he obtained by !,
epresenting to the people before t
is nomination that he did not be-
eve in entangling the schools in
artisan politics, and after securing =
n unopposed nomination by this !
Use pretense, abandoned his posi- :
on in this respect and became a
iolent and offensive political paGti- :
IN, thereby destroying all conf i
ence in his sincerity and unfitiin2 T
i'm, in cur opinion, ta be the chief
uardian Of the educational interests
the state.
The action proposed is in the in= 9
rest Of the school children of Lou
lana, to keep our schools free from
le poison of factiona1 politics which :
as latterly been threatening them, :
the Lafayette demand could be
lforced, If Mr.. Harris could be in :
lced to withdraw his candidacy, I
hen it is evident that a majority Of
te Democratic voters do not want
N as head of our, schools, it would, a
course, be the easiest and best Y
'lution Of the problem, but we do I
IT think the professor is that sort
an officeholder, The duty. there
- Ar ccF naI-