Evening star., 1959-06-28
LoyLsLANAs MASTER POLITICIAN
Long: Not One Man but Several

he would be q candidate Ia 1855
and, scofning the teIevision to
which many candidates were turn
ing In place Of the strenuous
stump tour because It makes me
look like q monkey on q string"
Long stumped the State seven
days o week for months on end.
as Perhaps the real secret Of Longs
present troubles lies In the re-
turns Of that election. when he
polled al l.68i votes, 5I.4 per cent
Of the total in the first primary.
Toxotion Measures
Launchingsa legislative pro-
gram Of taxation, although
principal plank Of his platform
had promised no additional taxes,
he strode into the 1856 legislative
session determined to force their
passage.
Ranting, raving, cajoling he
made several sulphur-tongued
speeches. hitting his enemies with
invectives.
But even that was to pale into
insignificance compared with his
performances during the 1853
fiscal session which ended early
last month.
Strange actions indeed for q
man determined to seek yet an
other term as Governor, circum-
venting the constitutional prohi-
bition against successive terms by
resigning before the fling dead
lineg
One fact stands out. Earl Long
has never polled less than $4,000
votes in Statewide race. q sig
able block in a State with only
about q million registrations.
How does he do 1t?
The Long name is no handicap.
But his success is probably due
more to the things he has accom-
plished than to any other single
factor.
Regardless of their merit, he Is
largely responsible for the gen.
erous welfare system in the State
-he has built roads where he
promised to build them-he has
supported heavy appropriations
for public education-his insist
ence on heavy support for the
widespread system Of charity hos
pitals has been a major factor In
the. modernization Of facilities.
At his best on the campaign
trail in a State where few holds
are barred in politics. he calls on
a vast fund Of intimate knowledge
Of the State and its people.
He Knows the Stote
There are few towns. or even
crossroads, in Louisiana that Earl
Long doesn't know. in detail, who's
who and how they've voted over
the years.
A tremendous memory has
served him in good stead as he
junkets around the State In the
Ford that he invariably uses for
campaigning.
Let them other fellahs have
their Cadiliacs and their chauf-
fers," he says, there's more peo-
pie driving Fords than Cadillacs
and they count their votes Just
the same"
It has been q long. stormy career
and it may end to his disadvan-
tage yet.
But the politicians are not SELL
ing him short.
Implausible as 1t may sound to
an outsider. there are still thou
sands upon thousands Of loyal
Long supporters who firmly be-
lieve 1t when Ole Earl screams Of
. plot to strip him Of power.
What kind Of man is Earl Long?
Writing a story about him once
his wife described him as "a
turbulent character" an exceed
ingly apt choice Of words.
But. turbulent or not. there are
still the two schools Of thought:
Hes q disgraceful. disgusting
example Of bull-of-the-w woods
politicians" say his enemies.
His friends disagree: He's Just
Ole Earl, the best friend the pore
folks ever had"
And there are an awful lot Of
pore folks in Louisiana.