Changes

After Huey Long was assassinated in September 1935, the Long organization was left without a leader and without a candidate for the 1936 gubernatorial election. From that deadlock, Leche was supported as a compromise candidate.  Despite his political obscurity, Leche defeated with Long faction backing the anti-Long candidate Cleveland Dear (1888-1950), a [[U.S. Representative]] from [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], with the aid of the still-powerful Long machine. Leche polled 67 percent of the primary vote, and the anti-Long forces seemed beyond recovery.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State,  Primary election returns, January 21, 1936.</ref>  

After Huey Long was assassinated in September 1935, the Long organization was left without a leader and without a candidate for the 1936 gubernatorial election. From that deadlock, Leche was supported as a compromise candidate.  Despite his political obscurity, Leche defeated with Long faction backing the anti-Long candidate Cleveland Dear (1888-1950), a [[U.S. Representative]] from [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], with the aid of the still-powerful Long machine. Leche polled 67 percent of the primary vote, and the anti-Long forces seemed beyond recovery.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State,  Primary election returns, January 21, 1936.</ref>  

Governor Leche presented vowed to continue the Long program of road-building, the expansion of educational and hospital facilities, and free textbooks. He proposed a tax on soft drinks, a $2,000 homestead exemption (now $75,000) extended to the surviving spouses and widows, keeping public payrolls at the maximum to reduce unemployment, and establishment of a state department of industry and commerce.<ref>"Leche Takes Office Today and Gives 26-Point Plan, ''Minden Signal-Tribune'' and ''Springhill Journal,'' May 12, 1936, p. 1.</ref>

Governor Leche presented vowed to continue Long's program of road-building, the expansion of educational and hospital facilities, and free school textbooks. He proposed a tax on soft drinks, a $2,000 homestead exemption (now $75,000) extended to the surviving spouses and widows, keeping public payrolls at the maximum to reduce unemployment, and establishment of a state department of industry and commerce.<ref>"Leche Takes Office Today and Gives 26-Point Plan, ''Minden Signal-Tribune'' and ''Springhill Journal,'' May 12, 1936, p. 1.</ref>

Within four years, however, the  corruption of the Leche administration led to the election of a "reform" candidate, [[Sam Houston Jones]] of [[Lake Charles]] in Calcasieu Parish.<ref>William C. Havard, Rudolf Heberle, and [[Perry H. Howard]], ''The Louisiana Elections of 196'' ([[Baton Rouge]]: [[Louisiana State University]] Studies, 1963), p. 31.</ref>

Within four years, however, the  corruption of the Leche administration led to the election of a "reform" candidate, [[Sam Houston Jones]] of [[Lake Charles]] in Calcasieu Parish.<ref>William C. Havard, Rudolf Heberle, and [[Perry H. Howard]], ''The Louisiana Elections of 196'' ([[Baton Rouge]]: [[Louisiana State University]] Studies, 1963), p. 31.</ref>

Shortly after his inauguration, Leche said that he had taken  no "vow of poverty," and corrupt practices became the standard of his administration. The "Louisiana Hayride" scandal soon impacted even [[Louisiana State University]]; its president, [[James Monroe Smith]], a native of Jackson Parish, was forced from his lucrative position.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,761630,00.html|title=Louisiana: Jimmy the Stooge|publisher=''[[[Time magazine|Time]]''|accessdate=February 11, 2015|date=July 10, 1939}}</ref>

Shortly after his inauguration, Leche said that he had taken  no "vow of poverty," and corrupt practices became the standard of his administration. The "Louisiana Hayride" scandal soon impacted even [[Louisiana State University]]; its president, [[James Monroe Smith]], a native of Jackson Parish, was forced from his lucrative position.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,761630,00.html|title=Louisiana: Jimmy the Stooge|publisher=''[[[Time magazine|Time]]''|accessdate=February 11, 2015|date=July 10, 1939}}</ref>

To accommodate the second term of [[U.S. President]] [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], Leche promised to cease using Long's "Share Our Wealth" mantra and to support the [[New Deal]]. In return, Roosevelt dropped the investigation of the Long machine on tax evasion charges and restored federal patronage to Louisiana. The resulting flow of federal funds, accompanied with widespread graft and corruption, became dubbed the "Second [[Louisiana Purchase]]," a reference to [[Thomas Jefferson]]'s doubling the size of the nation in 1803. Some of the federal funds from the Public Works Administration were used to construct new buildings at LSU and to expand New Orleans's Charity Hospital, the flagship project of Huey Long. Before the end of his abbreviated term, Leche and several cronies, including Superintendent of Construction George A. Caldwell (1892-1966), were [[Indictment|indicted]], and Leche was forced to resign just as the summer of 1939 began. He was succeeded for a yar by then Lieutenant Governor]] [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]], Huey's younger brother.

To accommodate the second term of [[U.S. President]] [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], Leche promised to cease using Long's "Share Our Wealth" mantra and to support the [[New Deal]]. In return, Roosevelt dropped the investigation of the Long machine on tax evasion charges and restored federal patronage to Louisiana. The resulting flow of federal funds, accompanied with widespread graft and corruption, became dubbed the "Second [[Louisiana Purchase]]," a reference to [[Thomas Jefferson]]'s doubling the size of the nation in 1803. Some of the federal funds from the Public Works Administration were used to construct new buildings at LSU and to expand New Orleans's Charity Hospital, the flagship project of Huey Long. Before the end of his abbreviated term, Leche and several cronies, including Superintendent of Construction George A. Caldwell (1892-1966), were [[Indictment|indicted]], and Leche was forced to resign just as the summer of 1939 began. He was succeeded for a year by then Lieutenant Governor [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]], Huey's younger brother.

==Later years==

==Later years==