The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1921-06-15
MURPHY ]. FOSTER.
GOVERNOR, SENATOR
CROSSES TIE DIVIDE
One of Louisiana's Greatest
Sons Passes in Death at
Franklin
MORE THAN 80 YEARS
SERVICE TO PEOPLE
Well Past Three Score and
Ten He Peacefully Enters
The Dark Shadow

Murphy James Foster, the MAN
From St. Mary" is no more!
The great Louisianian who has been
in the public eye for nigh on to forty
years, silently slipped from life into
eternity at his farm home, Dixie plan
tation, near Franklin, where he was
born, last Sunday morning at $3.50.
The funeral was held Monday after
noon at 4 with simple but impressive
ceremonies. He had reached the age
of 70 years, and every year of thai
time, since he reached the age of maj
ority, has been one fraught with inter
est, for he was never idle and his
life's book is indeed full Of interesting
pages, and his career as public serv-
ant and a statesman of note will go
down in Louisiana history as one Of
the greatest of any of her many noted
sons.
Educated at Franklin he entered
Washington and Lee university, in
Virginia, when the south's great idol,
Robert E. Lee, was head of that noted
! institution. Later he took course
in law at Cumberland university in
Tennessee, graduating from the latter
; institution in 1870. Having decided
to follow law as a profession, he en-
tered the law department Of Tulane
university and graduated therefrom in
J due time, being admitted to the bar
Immediately.
But politics, that wide, interesting
and divergent field for the exerci OF
human imagination and human nctlv-
ity. proved a strong lure for the young
st. Maryan and it was not long before
he was in the limelight. The state
was in the grasp Of the carpeting re-
gime and there was dual government
in the state. Young Foster had been
: elected to the lower branch Of the 'eg-
islature on the white ticket but new
er took his seat, the black government
being recognized by the federal auth
critics.
| With the overturn of carpetbag rule
l Mr.. Foster was sent to the state sen
Z ate where he served brilliantly for
S twelve years-three successive terms.
II was during that service that he at
! tracted great notice as one OF the
great men of the state and certainly
r a. one of the brilliant leaders of the
! senate of Louisiana His ability was
! recognized by his colleagues and he
: served as president Of the senate for
four years.
{ During his tenure of office as a
2 state senator the burning issue oi
: state history, the reaehartering OF the
I Louisiana state lottery, came UP, and
J his strong opposition to the measure
! nroyed he was a real leader among
q men and he was seized on by the op
n moments of the lottery as their leader
!. in the coming battle of giants in the
e politicai field Of Louisiana.
: 1t is said that Governor Nichols the
d aGrand old Man" rendered seat or
: tbe supreme court bench to Foster
e hut it was declined, the latter prefer
i ring a political life of activity to re
s tirement to the calm cloisture OF tbs
), bench.
' Selected as the nominee for gov
n ernor of the anti-lottery democrats
o he led them to victory in the ever
II memorable campaign of 1892, ans
Y with his election the death knell o
i the lottery was sounded, not only IL
the state, but in every section OF tn'
union.
with calm judgment, with unequal
p ed shrewdness, he brought on neV
: era Of politics in Louisiana. The oil
II lottery faction, backed by powerful
d factors and interests and led politl
" callv by Ex-Governor Samuel Dougla
# McEnery was skilfully and adroitl
led into the Foster camp in such
e way that no rank, bitter political AM
le mosfties were left behind. The GU
h mination of the shrewd coup cam
lie with the selection of Governor McEn
n cry for United States senators b
i Fosters influence to succeed NeWtoi
Ie G. Blanchard, who had been appointe
lg to succeed the late Chief Justic
re White Of the United State
Il. supreme court when the latte
RESIGNED the senatorship to accept, a
le the hands of President Cleveland,
" seat on the greatest judicial tribuna
It. in the world.
n, Governor Foster was master han
at the game of politics and he shove
his wonderful sagacity when, durin
le the exciting times following the eleC
IS tion of 1896 and the threatened arme
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