LONG DEAD

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1935, Page 5

LONG DEAD

ASSASSIN’S SHOT CIVIL WAR THREATENED TROUBLE IN LOUISIANA REGRET OF ROOSEVELT PROBABLE RIVAL GONE By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright Rec. 11.35 p.m. New York, Sept. 10. Senator Huey P. Long died at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to-day at 2 a.m. as the result of the revolver wound inflicted yesterday by Dr. A. C. Weiss, who was instantly shot by the Senator’s bodyguard. Twenty-four hours after the shooting physicians abandoned hope for Senator Huey Long’s recovery. His family left the hospital at 10.20 p.m. yesterday at which time the senator was in a coma. A third blood transfusion was given at 11 p.m., but without beneficial results. President Roosevelt condemned the action of Dr. A. C. Weiss (who was shot dead by the senator’s bodyguard). “The spirit of violence is un-American and has no place in the consideration of public affairs, least of all at a time when a calm, dispassionate approach to difficult problems of the "day is so essential,” said the President. ' Before it was known that he was dying, the attack on Senator Long hastened the organisation of the movement to run him for the Presidency next year. The “Share our Wealth Society,” of St. Louis, sent its stricken leader a spray of flowers with the message “God bless vou” and announced that it would within the next few days open offices to begin the Presidential campaign. Within Louisiana itself the thought of the removal of Senator Long seems to have brought about conditions threatening civil strife. Not only are National Guardsmen patrolling Baton Rouge but men with sawn-off shotguns are everywhere about the Government buildings. With fairly reliable reports that Senator Long had taken a turn for the worse the attempted assassination of the dictator of Louisiana began to assume more grave political significance. Weiss’ father-in-law. Judge Pavy, to-day said: “I am certain that his intensive, study of the Louisiana political situation convinced him that the form of State Government under Senator Longs dictatorship was so terrible and such a miscarriage of justice that his broodings finally unbalanced his mind.” Significantly enough the Legislature to-day passed the Bill sponsored by Senator Long that will result in the removal of Judge Pavy from office. The funeral of Weiss was held yesterday from St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Baton Rouge, of which he was a member. A thousand mourners were in attendance and there were .many floral offerings, several from political organisations in distant States, members of which could not possibly have personally known the obscure eye specialist. CAREER OF HUEY LONG SELF-MADE MAN’S LIFE Huey Pierce Long, the self-styled “kingfish” of Louisiana, was born of a poor family at Winnfield in that State, in August, 1893, and was a man. As a lad he hawked books and sold patent medicines. He studied law at the Universities of Oklahoma and Tulane, but did not graduate. At the age of 22 he was called to the Bar. At 25 he was appointed to the Louisiana Railroad Commission and three years later to its Public Service Commission. In 1924 he was Democrat candidate for the Governorship of his State and was defeated, but four years later lie was elected. He made himself popular by providing free school books, parents having hitherto had to pay for them. Before his term expired as the State Governor, Mr. Long had been elected to the United States Senate, Mr. Cyril Astor, Lieutenant-Governor of Louisiana, at once claimed the Governorship on the ground that Mr. Long’s term was thus automatically ended. Mr. Long ordered the police to arrest .Mr. Astor if he appeared to press his claim and he called out the militia to prevent Mr. Astor from entering the capital. He also appointed a new Lieutenant-Gover-nor. Mr. Long initiated a great road construction scheme in his State and began to tax the big corporations, thus earning their lasting hostility. An exceedingly astute politician and a skilful organiser, he established a system like that of Tammany Hall and eventually secured complete control of Louisiana. CLASH WITH MUNICIPALITY. As the municipality of New Orleans had not shown subservance to him Mr. Long conducted an inquiry into the alleged corruption of the city administration. He failed to prove graft. The State Assembly, which he controlled, was there! 0 e asked to pass a measure depriving the city of self-government and vesting the power in Mr. Long's nominees. He also secured the transfer of the right of appointment to many posts to the State.- All the measures were passed automatically by the Assembly. Meanwhile Mr. Long had become popular all over the United States, thanks to his “Share the Wealth” movement, for which in 1935, he claimed 15,000,000 supporters. The proposals included drastic income and inheritance taxes and a flat limitation on the annual income or the complete fortune of everyone. He was described as the best showman in United States politics. But, while he studiously spoke ungrammatically in public and posed as a plain man, those who knew him declared that he was a man of brains who knew exactly what he wanted to do and how to do it.

His recent speech of 15'/a hours in the Senate was the second longest on record. Jpst before Congress adjourned he spoke for over five hours and talked out some important “new deal” Bills. ,