Edwin S. Broussard
Encyclopedia
Edwin Sidney Broussard I (December 4, 1874 November 19, 1934) was a United States senator from Louisiana
. He was born in the village of Loureauville in Iberia Parish in the sugar
-growing country of south Louisiana and attended public schools. He graduated from the Louisiana State University
at Baton Rouge in 1896. He taught in the public schools of Iberia and St. Martin parishes from 1896 to 1898.
At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War
, Broussard volunteered for service. He was a captain in Cuba
, 1898–1899; he accompanied the Taft Commission
to the Philippine Islands in 1899 and served as an assistant secretary. He returned to the United States in 1900, graduated from the law
department of Tulane University
in New Orleans in 1901, and was admitted to the bar
the same year. He established his practice in New Iberia
, the seat of Iberia Parish.
Broussard was prosecuting attorney for the Nineteenth Judicial District of Louisiana from 1903 to 1908. Between 1914 and 1916, he affiliated with the Progressive Party
, formed by Theodore Roosevelt
, and opposed to the New Orleans Democratic party machine, known as the Old Regulars. Broussard ran unsuccessfully in 1916 for lieutenant governor
with gubernatorial candidate John M. Parker
, another Roosevelt loyalist. Parker lost that year too but rebounded to victory in 1920 as a Democrat.
He was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in 1920 to fill the seat vacated by his deceased brother, Robert Foligny Broussard
. He defeated former Governor
Jared Y. Sanders, Sr.
. Broussard was identified as a senator with strong advocacy of the sugar tariff
and federal flood control
projects important to his state. He was reelected in 1926 by defeating Sanders once again and with Huey Long's support. The Ku Klux Klan
rallied against Broussard on account of his Roman Catholicism, but were unsuccessful. He was denied renomination in the 1932 Democratic primary. He was defeated in a disputed vote by Huey Long's choice for the position, John Holmes Overton
of Alexandria
, the seat of Rapides Parish in central Louisiana. Though Long had backed Broussard in 1926 and Broussard had supported Long for governor in 1928, Long branded Broussard a "conservative" and favored Overton as Broussard's replacement. Broussard hence served from March 5, 1921, to March 3, 1933.
After his defeat, Broussard resumed his law practice and tended to banking and financial affairs in New Iberia. He died in New Iberia and is interred in St. Peter's Cemetery there.
Edwin Broussard married the former Marie Patout, the daughter of Felix Patout and the former Claire Tate, on June 5, 1904. The couple had six children, including Edwin S. Broussard, II, George P. Broussard
, a veterinary medicine
researcher, and Eugene Broussard.
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. He was born in the village of Loureauville in Iberia Parish in the sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
-growing country of south Louisiana and attended public schools. He graduated from the Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
at Baton Rouge in 1896. He taught in the public schools of Iberia and St. Martin parishes from 1896 to 1898.
At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
, Broussard volunteered for service. He was a captain in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, 1898–1899; he accompanied the Taft Commission
Taft Commission
The Taft Commission, also known as Second Philippine Commission was established by United States President William McKinley on March 16, 1900. The Commission was the legislature of the Philippines, then known as the Philippine Islands under the sovereign control of the United States during the...
to the Philippine Islands in 1899 and served as an assistant secretary. He returned to the United States in 1900, graduated from the law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
department of Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
in New Orleans in 1901, and was admitted to the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
the same year. He established his practice in New Iberia
New Iberia, Louisiana
New Iberia is a city in and the parish seat of Iberia Parish, Louisiana, United States, 30 miles southeast of Lafayette. In 1900, 6,815 people lived in New Iberia; in 1910, 7,499; and in 1940, 13,747...
, the seat of Iberia Parish.
Broussard was prosecuting attorney for the Nineteenth Judicial District of Louisiana from 1903 to 1908. Between 1914 and 1916, he affiliated with the Progressive Party
Progressive Party (United States, 1912)
The Progressive Party of 1912 was an American political party. It was formed after a split in the Republican Party between President William Howard Taft and former President Theodore Roosevelt....
, formed by Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
, and opposed to the New Orleans Democratic party machine, known as the Old Regulars. Broussard ran unsuccessfully in 1916 for lieutenant governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
with gubernatorial candidate John M. Parker
John M. Parker
John Milliken Parker was an American Democratic politician from Louisiana, who served as the state's 37th Governor from 1920–1924. He was a friend and admirer of President Theodore Roosevelt....
, another Roosevelt loyalist. Parker lost that year too but rebounded to victory in 1920 as a Democrat.
He was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in 1920 to fill the seat vacated by his deceased brother, Robert Foligny Broussard
Robert F. Broussard
Robert Foligny Broussard was both a U.S. representative and a U.S. senator from Louisiana. He was born on the Mary Louise plantation near New Iberia, the seat of Iberia Parish. He attended public and private schools. Broussard attended the Catholic Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., from...
. He defeated former Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Jared Y. Sanders, Sr.
Jared Y. Sanders, Sr.
Jared Young Sanders, Sr. , was a journalist and attorney from Franklin, the seat of St. Mary Parish in south Louisiana, who served as his state's House Speaker , lieutenant governor , the 34th Governor , and U.S. representative...
. Broussard was identified as a senator with strong advocacy of the sugar tariff
Tariff
A tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
and federal flood control
Flood control
In communications, flood control is a feature of many communication protocols designed to prevent overwhelming of a destination receiver. Such controls can be implemented either in software or in hardware, and will often request that the message be resent after the receiver has finished...
projects important to his state. He was reelected in 1926 by defeating Sanders once again and with Huey Long's support. The Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
rallied against Broussard on account of his Roman Catholicism, but were unsuccessful. He was denied renomination in the 1932 Democratic primary. He was defeated in a disputed vote by Huey Long's choice for the position, John Holmes Overton
John H. Overton
John Holmes Overton was an attorney and Democratic United States representative and U.S. senator from Louisiana...
of Alexandria
Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
, the seat of Rapides Parish in central Louisiana. Though Long had backed Broussard in 1926 and Broussard had supported Long for governor in 1928, Long branded Broussard a "conservative" and favored Overton as Broussard's replacement. Broussard hence served from March 5, 1921, to March 3, 1933.
After his defeat, Broussard resumed his law practice and tended to banking and financial affairs in New Iberia. He died in New Iberia and is interred in St. Peter's Cemetery there.
Edwin Broussard married the former Marie Patout, the daughter of Felix Patout and the former Claire Tate, on June 5, 1904. The couple had six children, including Edwin S. Broussard, II, George P. Broussard
George P. Broussard
George Patout Broussard, Sr. , was a decorated World War II United States Army officer, the son of a United States senator, and a veterinarian from New Iberia, Louisiana, who conducted important research on the diseases anaplasmosis and brucellosis.Broussard was born in New Iberia, the seat of...
, a veterinary medicine
Veterinary medicine
Veterinary Medicine is the branch of science that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals...
researcher, and Eugene Broussard.