The Opelousas courier., 1894-09-29
A Rousing Robertson Meeting in West
Baton Rouge.


A telegram to the Times-Dem0crat
dated Brusly Landing, Sept. az says:
A rOusing Democratic meeting was
held here to-day.
Though Col. Stone was invited to
participate in the meeting to-day, ne
did not put in all appearance, nor did
anyone raise his voice in his behalf to
deny the criticisms OF his record.
Col. Stone was warmly roasted over
a blazing rhetorical fire by the speakers
to-day, and he was declared to be un-
fitted for the office on the grounds Of
lack of discernment, discretion and
steadfastness of purpose. Instances
were quoted where he talked IN one
side OF the question and voted on the
other, and in fine he was put down as a
man wholly unreliable to fill the shoes
of Col. Robertson, especially at a time
like the present, when a c~lear-headed,
conservative and tried friend Of the
interests of the district was so sorely
needed in the sixth district.
State Senator Y. NJ. Lefebvre, one OF
the leading sugar planters of the dis
trict, was elected chairman of the
meeting. After a few preliminary re-
MATHS Sen1.s%~u-<~e introduced as
the1irst speaker Col. T. Sambola Jones,
Of Baton Rouge.
Touching Col. stones record (and
report has it that Col. Jones, through
loug acquaintance with that gentleman,
'speaks b, Tie card) the speaker said
that ii man Ia be successful in Congress
must IL, level headed, cool, %steadfast
and consistent. alike in speech and
action. He denied the existence OF
these ]rSsrntiats in Col. Stone. He ad-
mitttll, by Inference, that Col. Stone
was Il brilliant tniker, but held that to
be his sole claim for recognition. In
the constitutional convention be bitter
ly espoustd one side of Il leading ques-
ton aud foul days later voted against
his expressed convictions. Col. Stone
had attacked Congressman Robeltson's
record solely on the point that he had
voted against The Wilson bill. when to
have voted for ii would have been Il
betrayal Of the interests of his on
stituento. Col. Jones remarked that
if Stuue writ as sudlE as he was trying
to appear he would bt al excellent can.
didate tur the b%isHupric, tut like the
pallot who sporttd with the dog aud
guyed the animal, he talked too much.
Col. Jones closed with IA spirited APP
peal for unity of action among the
planters, who could not bet help adj
mire the outrageous and consistent
fight which Col. Robertson had made
for them aud their interests.
Chairman Lefebvre announced that
Col. Stone or any of his friends were at
liberty 20 address the meeting and
could reply to the damaging statements
Of the last speaker, but no voice was
raised for Col. Stone.
Congressman S. NJ. Robertson next
oIIrnc,aI Az, r,aofirr His cr.aoh
was bri.l, hut rtplete with good points
and was repeatedly applanded. He re-
viewei! the sugar question from its ill.,
cipitncy and explained thoroughly his
course on the Wilson bill, and when he
declared that he had voted against that
measure i'll TIL" interest OF his constltu-
ents the assemblage applauded loudly.
He clearly showed that desertinn of the
Democratic party could not help the
sugar planters; that the hope for the
bounty on the 1894 cIor was a ceason-
able one, and that after the heat of
anger had died out Of the breasts OF
the opponents to sugar It's friends
could do something for the industry.
Col. Robertson laudled Col, Stone
with skin gloves, knocking out that
gentleman'a wind Oh his tariff argu-
ments, criticizing his opposition to
levee building and dwelling on his
asserted statement that sugar planters
were "Barous, rich and powerful
Political history was one OF Col. Rob
ertson's themes, and he remarked in a
droll manner that Stone could not we'll
charge an opponent with tiickeiy when
he years ago, while p leader of the
party organization, sc fixed the "two-
thirds rule" an unheard Of procedure,
as to defeat his Congressman Robert
son's( father in the race for Congress.
Col. Robertson mildly asked whether
Stone could he consistently called a
Democrat when. in 1876, his lame was
placed on the Republican ticket as a
candidate for the misunderstanding.
Hon. Alex. Hebert, district attorney
of West Baton Rouge, reviewed the
good work which Congressman Robert
son had effected for the district, delved
into the tariff question, showed the
a%bsurdity of abandoning the Demo
cratic party at this time when naught
could be gained by the move, and made
an eloquent appeal to the meeting to
reward the good work of Congressman
him and by returning him to Congress.
The following resolutions were adopt
ed without a dissenting voice:
"Resolged by the Democratic voters
of the parish of West Baton Rouge in
mass meeting assembled, That we re-
affirm all the glorious principles and
traditions of the Democratic party, and
we commend the brave and manly
course of u Representative, Col. s.
M. Robertson, who, by his courageous
and consistent action, has endeared
himself to our people and made a
national record of which we are justly
proud.
"Resolved further, That in him we
believe this entire district and all its
many interests has an able and efficient
defender and representative.
Resolved further, That we believe
that it would be little less than a
calamity to supplant him at this time
with an untried and inexperienced man,
and we pledge ourselves to the fullest
extent OF our power to use every hon.
CRADLE means to return him to
Congress-"