Ruffin Golson Pleasant 1916-1920

Born: June 2, 1871 in Shiloh, Louisiana
Political Affiliation: Democrat
Religious Affiliation: Presbyterian
Education: Ruston College, Mount Lebanon College, LSU (captain of the football team), Harvard University, Yale University
Career Prior to Term: State Attorney General
How He Became Governor: Elected in 1916
Career after Term: Delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1921; active in political organizations and campaigns
Died: September 12, 1937 in Shreveport

Ruffin G. Pleasant played in the first LSU-Tulane game as a captain of the LSU squad in 1893. Knocked out of that game, Pleasant remained in the political game through alliances at various times with machine-politicians Martin Behrman, progressive reformer John Parker, Huey Long and various anti-Longs.

Pleasant became Governor with the support of Behrman's New Orleans Choctaw Ring, defeating John Parker in the closest race in any election between 1896 and 1964. Pleasant's term coincided with World War 1. His efforts to prepare the state for war and encourage U. S. participation became the primary feature of his adminis- tration.

Pleasant supported his foe Parker for Governor in 1920, then opposed Parker's attempts to tax natural resources in the Constitutional Convention of 1921. Pleasant allied himself with Huey Long to oppose the severance tax but Long later became his bitter enemy.

Pleasant died in Shreveport in 1937.

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