The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1899-07-15
Grand Point Meeting.

attended and the applause given to the
speakers showed that the people Of the
5th ward were in favor OF Industrial
education almost unanimously.
District Attorney James Simon called
the meeting to order. Mr. Arcade Patin
was made permanent chairman and DR..
D. C. Liable secretary Of the meeting,
President Patin welcomed the assembly
in the name Of the people of the 9Th
ward and addressed the meeting i'm ia
vor of the Industrial school, he spoke in
French. The next speaker was MIR. T.
j. Liable he also spoke in French he
enumerated the different courses of stu
dies that would be offered by this school
laying great stress upon the superiority
of Industrial education as compared to
literary education for the prosperity of
a country, he called the attention Of
the people to the fact that this question
should not only be considered by the Pa
IRISH Of st. Martin, but the whole Of the
southern states were interested in the
growth of such schools as the south,
could only prosper when its industrial
products would be manufactured at
home.
The next speaker District Attorney
James Simon addressed the meeting In
English, he appealed to the people of st.
Martin parish begging them not to al
low the other parishes to wrest from
their hands such a prize as the state
now offered In competition to the Pa
rishes of Lafayette, st. Martin and Iberia
he asked the ladies to join i'm this cam
paign of education and work until the
election is over. District Attorney ST.
mon had hardly completed his address
when Mr.. Taylor Daspit the only man in
the parish openly opposed to Industrial
education unasked jumped on the stand
and began addressing the assembly.
Some one rose and made the point that
MIR. Daspit was out Of the order that he
was not invited to speak that there were
other speakers on the programme made
by the Campaign Committee and that
Mr.. Daspit be requested to get down
from the stand. Whereup0n MIR. Daspit
pushed aside his coat displaying his re-
vOlver upon which he held his hand told
the people he was going to address the
meeting. Cries Of put him down were
heard. the ladies ran to places of safety
and the audience began the task Of
clearing the rostrum Of Mr.. Daspits pre-
sence this was accomplished in a few
minutes but only after serious wrang-
ling on the floor. DIR. G. W. Martin
than assembled the rOstrum and called
for order he said that Mr.. Daspit had no
more right on the stand that he did. He
had applied to the Committee to make a
speech representing the sentiments Of
some OF his clients who are opposed to
Industrial education and he was told by
DR.. d. C. Liable the chairman that oppo-
sitiOn speeches would not be cOuntenan-
ced at this meeting unless permitted by
consent Of the Campaign Committee he
advised Mr.. Daspit to take the course he
had taken. At this juncture the chair
man according to programme called
State Treasurer FOurnet on the stand.
Mr.. FOurnet delivered the address of
the day, he assembled the steps amidst
the tumult Occasioned among the ladies
by the display of Mr.. Daspit's artillery his
eyes sparkled with repressed feeling as
he beckOned the ladies to advance as
they were now protected from any more
display Of firearms, he then delivered
the best speech he ever made in the Pa
IRISH Of st. Martin. He appealed to the
people Of the Parish of st. Martin to
support the cause of Industrial educa-
tiOn and thus make such scenes as had
just happened less liable to recur. He had
enjoyed political success he said for 20
years at the hands of the people of st.
Martin Parish he had always tried to
advance the interest Of his people in his
politics and now that he was not look
ing for Office from the people it was his |
duty as a citizen and a public man to |
use his utmost exertiOns to successfully |
the parish for the Industrial
school tax and in this way repay the !
people Of st. Martin for the hOnOrs 30
many times bestowed upon him.
His exertions in this campaign he as
sured would be the same as though he
was running for office.