The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-09-10


 at New Orleans which engineer said never could be built, Lont said it could, and it was.
 Increased State Debt All this, however, came dearly his enemies declared, pointing t' millions of dollars increase in thu state debt. New Orleans droppet from second to fifth port in thu United States during his regime.
 Born a humble farm boy in thu red clay hills of Winn parish, Long rose in a few years to the governor ship and power. His first job wa! hoeing cotton at 35 cents a day or i his fathers farm. After a shor time, he turned himself to the tasl of evangelizing "the peepup" as h' called them.
 First he evangeliZed them or ] the merits of washing powder ant lard compounds. Then came books and later baking powder. While teaching the "peepul" the merit! of his baking powder, he conducted a baking contest in Shreveport and there met Rose Mcconnell who later became his wife. Brilliant Student
 Subsequently Long worked as g printers devil on weekly news papers and as section hand while attending Oklahoma University Borrowing $45O from his brother Julius, Long attended Tulane Uni versity law school and completed a three year law course in nine months.
 Having established himself as a lawyer of some repute, Long turned his attention to politics and was beaten in his first race for GoverI4&. Undaunted by this de- feat, he filed for Railroad Com missioner in the next election and won. The next gubernatorial race found him a candidate again. He stumped the state, proclaiming to the hinterlands he had come "to stomp them city slickers down." His antics tick!ed the rank and file and he swept into office on an avalanche of votes.
 Once in office, the kingfish revo- lutioniZed state government. He became the Constitution, accord ing to his own announcements; shuffled the legislature Hike pack of cards;" started a wholesale mi grafton of his enemies from the capital, and an immigration of supporters; and let the world know Louisiana had new governor.
 Saved By Round Robin
 He escaped impeachment on 19 charges, ranging from a murder plot to bribery, when he produced round robin signed by IS sen ators stating that they would vote for conviction under no circum- stances. The trial ended and 1t was then Long boasted that legislators could be bought like sacks of potatoes"
 From then on, Louisiana politics were tempest in a teapot. The merits of dunking corn pone were discussed and debated; distin- guished German naval commander who visited New Orleans was greeted by Long in purple paja- mas; buildings sprang up magical ly to house state departments.
 Larger fields, however, were ahead for the boy from the red hill country. He filed for United States Senator, and was elected in 1892. Then he put O. K. Allen in as governor to succeed him. Allen previously had been chairman of the State Highway Commission and was one of Longs closest allies.
 In 1890, meeting the Coolidges in New Orleans, Long indicated his ambitions when he asked. Are the Hoovers good housekeepers? ?"
 guess they are," the ex- president answered, puzzled.
 Well" replied the kingfish. "when I was elected governor I found the executive mansion in such rotten shape l had to tear 1t down and rebuild. It started hell of a row. When I'm elected presi- dent, I don't want to have to re- build the White House."
 The kingfish went to Washing ton in 1892 to throw some color into the national political picture. His first act was to break the sem ate rule against smoking. Then he surprised his colleagues by launch ing an attack on Senator Joe Robinson of Arkansas. resigned his committee appointments, and de- manded redistribution of the wealth of the country.
 He instructed Oscar of the Wal dorf-Astoria Hotel, New York, in the art of making corn pone, and then journeyed to Arakansas C"to get bunch of pot-bellied politi- clans off this woman's neck") for Hattie Carraway, who was running for the senate without support of the state democratic committee. Mrs. Carraway routed her oppo- nents and won handily.
 Twice senate committees came to New Orleans and investigated charges of graft, corruption and illegality in Longs methods of conducting state politics. ,,
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