Changes

Montgomery in a 1964 appearance said that the Louisiana legislature is independent only when a two-thirds vote is required for select issues; otherwise the governor's program is nearly always automatically adopted. "The way Louisiana is governed is by the man we elect governor of this state. With a bad governor we'll fail," Montgomery said. His legislative ally, [[B. H. "Johnny" Rogers]] of Grand Cane in DeSoto Parish south of Shreveport, agreed: "The government of Louisiana cannot be any better than the governor of Louisiana."<ref name=sjournal/> Rogers urged citizens interested in good government to come to committee hearings in Baton Rouge. In such cases, their mere presence will impress legislators.<ref name=sjournal>{{cite web|url=http://louisdl.louislibraries.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15140coll23/id/2266|title=Legislators support med bonds|publisher=''[[Shreveport Journal]]''|author=Harry Taylor|date=May (day missing) 1966|accessdate=October 25, 2014}}</ref>​

Montgomery in a 1964 appearance said that the Louisiana legislature is independent only when a two-thirds vote is required for select issues; otherwise the governor's program is nearly always automatically adopted. "The way Louisiana is governed is by the man we elect governor of this state. With a bad governor we'll fail," Montgomery said. His legislative ally, [[B. H. "Johnny" Rogers]] of Grand Cane in DeSoto Parish south of Shreveport, agreed: "The government of Louisiana cannot be any better than the governor of Louisiana."<ref name=sjournal/> Rogers urged citizens interested in good government to come to committee hearings in Baton Rouge. In such cases, their mere presence will impress legislators.<ref name=sjournal>{{cite web|url=http://louisdl.louislibraries.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15140coll23/id/2266|title=Legislators support med bonds|publisher=''[[Shreveport Journal]]''|author=Harry Taylor|date=May (day missing) 1966|accessdate=October 25, 2014}}</ref>​

==Further political developments==

==Further political developments==​

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In 1960, Montgomery opposed increases requested by the new Davis administration in the salaries of elected and appointed state officials instead of pay hikes for the lower-income state workers.<ref>"Lawmakers Voice Disappointment on Results of 1960 Legislature," ''Minden Press,''  July 18, 1960.</ref> That same year, he supported legislation to make the dumping of litter or trash along roads in the state or parish road systems a crime punishable by fines of up to $100 (equivalent of 950  dollars in 2020).<ref>"Montgomery Seeks Anti-Litter and Park Commission Legislation," Minden Press,'' June 6, 1960, p. 1.</ref>​

In 1960, Montgomery opposed increases requested by the new Davis administration in the salaries of elected and appointed state officials instead of pay hikes for the lower-income state workers.<ref>"Lawmakers Voice Disappointment on Results of 1960 Legislature," ''Minden Press,''  July 18, 1960.</ref> That same year, he supported legislation to make the dumping of litter or trash along roads in the state or parish road systems a crime punishable by fines of up to $100 (equivalent of 950  dollars in 2020).<ref>"Montgomery Seeks Anti-Litter and Park Commission Legislation," Minden Press,'' June 6, 1960, p. 1.</ref>​

 

In 1962, Montgomery introduced a resolution in the state Senate which condemned the activities of the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] in Louisiana. "We are outraged by the prostitution of the once great FBI, and its present misuse as a political police force, not dissimilar in method and result to the [[Gestapo]] or the NKVD", the Soviet secret police. [[United States Department of Justice|Attorney General]] [[Robert F. Kennedy]], not FBI Director [[J. Edgar Hoover]], was especially singled out for responsibility. Montgomery in fact admired Hoover for his strongly [[Communism|anticommunist]] stance.<ref>''The New Orleans Times-Picayune,'' July 4, 1962.</ref>​

In 1962, Montgomery introduced a resolution in the state Senate which condemned the activities of the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] in Louisiana. "We are outraged by the prostitution of the once great FBI, and its present misuse as a political police force, not dissimilar in method and result to the [[Gestapo]] or the NKVD", the Soviet secret police. [[United States Department of Justice|Attorney General]] [[Robert F. Kennedy]], not FBI Director [[J. Edgar Hoover]], was especially singled out for responsibility. Montgomery in fact admired Hoover for his strongly [[Communism|anticommunist]] stance.<ref>''The New Orleans Times-Picayune,'' July 4, 1962.</ref>​

 

In 1963, Montgomery had supported Louisiana Public Service Commissioner [[John J. McKeithen]] in the Democratic  runoff election against Chep Morrison. Then he quietly supported McKeithen's Republican opponent, [[Charlton Lyons]], a Shreveport [[oil]]man, in the general election held on  March 3, 1964. In time, Montgomery and McKeithen were consistently at political odds.​

In 1963, Montgomery had supported Louisiana Public Service Commissioner [[John J. McKeithen]] in the Democratic  runoff election against Chep Morrison. Then he quietly supported McKeithen's Republican opponent, [[Charlton Lyons]], a Shreveport [[oil]]man, in the general election held on  March 3, 1964. In time, Montgomery and McKeithen were consistently at political odds.​

 

The next year, Montgomery was elected chairman of the Louisiana Committee for Free Electors, an organization that grew from a meeting of some two hundred conservative Democrats in the capital city of [[Baton Rouge]]. Two representatives from each congressional district were chosen.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jfk-online.com/jpsgblpjg.html|author=Jerry P. Shinley Archive|publisher=jfk-online.com|accessdate=August 17, 2010}}</ref> The free elector movement, however, was abandoned with the nomination in July 1964 of [[U.S. Senator]] [[Barry  Goldwater]] of [[Arizona]] as the Republican presidential nominee.<ref>Glen Jeansonne, ''Leander Perez of Louisiana,'' pp. 322-327, for discussion on free elector movement.</ref>​

The next year, Montgomery was elected chairman of the Louisiana Committee for Free Electors, an organization that grew from a meeting of some two hundred conservative Democrats in the capital city of [[Baton Rouge]]. Two representatives from each congressional district were chosen.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jfk-online.com/jpsgblpjg.html|author=Jerry P. Shinley Archive|publisher=jfk-online.com|accessdate=August 17, 2010}}</ref> The free elector movement, however, was abandoned with the nomination in July 1964 of [[U.S. Senator]] [[Barry  Goldwater]] of [[Arizona]] as the Republican presidential nominee.<ref>Glen Jeansonne, ''Leander Perez of Louisiana,'' pp. 322-327, for discussion on free elector movement.</ref>

In a state Senate speech, Montgomery excoriated [[U.S. President]] [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] after Johnson signed into law the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]]. The address highlighted Johnson's long political life and declared him a "political thief," an "habitual liar," and "not worthy of your respect or mine." Montgomery said that Johnson should run for election under the skunk symbol, instead of the Democratic donkey emblem (the rooster in Louisiana).<ref name=blastjohnson>"Montgomery blasts Johnson in speech on Senate floor", ''Shreveport Journal,'' July 8, 1964, p. 1.</ref> Montgomery's Senate colleague, Jamar William Adcock (1917-1991) of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], disputed the remarks: "Lyndon Johnson is our president, and I will respect him and the office of President."<ref name=blastjohnson/> Montgomery pitched a tent on the state Capitol grounds to protest the public accommodations section of the Civil Rights Act after he learned that the hotel in which he had been staying had admitted an African-American couple.<ref name=blastjohnson/><ref>Montgomery-tent photo caption, ''Shreveport Journa,'' July 9, 1964, p. 4A.</ref>​

In a state Senate speech, Montgomery excoriated [[U.S. President]] [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] after Johnson signed into law the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]]. The address highlighted Johnson's long political life and declared him a "political thief," an "habitual liar," and "not worthy of your respect or mine." Montgomery said that Johnson should run for election under the skunk symbol, instead of the Democratic donkey emblem (the rooster in Louisiana).<ref name=blastjohnson>"Montgomery blasts Johnson in speech on Senate floor", ''Shreveport Journal,'' July 8, 1964, p. 1.</ref> Montgomery's Senate colleague, Jamar William Adcock (1917-1991) of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], disputed the remarks: "Lyndon Johnson is our president, and I will respect him and the office of President."<ref name=blastjohnson/> Montgomery pitched a tent on the state Capitol grounds to protest the public accommodations section of the Civil Rights Act after he learned that the hotel in which he had been staying had admitted an African-American couple.<ref name=blastjohnson/><ref>Montgomery-tent photo caption, ''Shreveport Journa,'' July 9, 1964, p. 4A.</ref>​

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==The battle of the Montgomerys, 1967==​

===The battle of the Montgomerys, 1967===

 

McKeithen was a prohibitive favorite for re-nomination in 1967 and ran unopposed in the general election held on February 6, 1968. The governor supported 31-year-old Springhill attorney, [[Jack Montgomery (Louisiana politician)|John Willard "Jack" Montgomery, Sr.]], in the senatorial primary against Harold Montgomery. Despite the same surname, the two were not related. The "battles of the Montgomerys" (There was a rematch in 1971.) were the most heated state senate races in the district in many years.​

McKeithen was a prohibitive favorite for re-nomination in 1967 and ran unopposed in the general election held on February 6, 1968. The governor supported 31-year-old Springhill attorney, [[Jack Montgomery (Louisiana politician)|John Willard "Jack" Montgomery, Sr.]], in the senatorial primary against Harold Montgomery. Despite the same surname, the two were not related. The "battles of the Montgomerys" (There was a rematch in 1971.) were the most heated state senate races in the district in many years.​

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