The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1904-01-16
NO. z
A LETTER.

10 the Editor OF the MerldI0nal:
In view of the fact that my business
at home kept me from making cam
paign in behalf of my candidacy, to be-
submitted at the primary election on
the 18th of this month, | beg you to
announce to the citizens of the parish
Of Vermilon, that am, as it is known
throughout the parish, once more q
candidate for the honorable position of
Representative, which have endeav-
ored for the last two terms to fill with
credit beftting said position.
[ refer the people of Vermilion to my
record, and beg them to be guided by
my course during these six regular,
ard extraordinary sessions which [
have attended regularly, and if | have
served the interest of VormiIion parish,
honestly, fairly and conscientiously, I
ask for the valuable support of the
citizens of this parish whilst on the
other hand should in my course q single
action Of mine reflect upon my, credit,
or the honor Of the people of Vermilion,
then beg to be relegated to the shad-
oWs Of private life.
! My paramount reason for submitting
my name for reelection is purely be-
cause the longer a member of the Leg
slature serves, the more in touch he
+ becomes with the different State de-
partnents, rs well as the more int1uen-
tial ard powerful in the General AS
sembly. II it were paying position I
1 would not deem it proper for me to
make this announcement. but as it is
an undeniabl5 fact that it costs a man
more than he earns as a salary to up
hold the dignity of the honorable po-
sitiou of Representative; and my
means (howsoever limited they might
be) justify me to enjoy this distinction;
/ | feel no compunction in coming before
the yeomanry of Vermilion, backed by
my humble record, and beg for that
support am proud to say so gener-
ously received ID 1896 and 1900. I
| pledge myself to do in the future as I
have in the past-to support strenu-
ously any measure tending to foster
the welfare Of the people of Vermi'ion.
At the last session of the Legisla
ture | voled for ansincrease of one hun
dred thousand dollars, which the people
of the State received for the public
schools; and pledge myself to again
appear before the appropriation COM
mittee to advance the educational in
terest of the State which will be
equally those Of our parish. Ipledge
myself to use my most earnest endeaV
ors to change the limit of the payment
of the poll tax, in order to give the
} people more latitude III the right to
exercise their right to vote. / pledge
myself to introduce an act, amending
the Constitution in reference to asses
sors throughout the State; as firmly
believe the assessors should be elected
:, directly by the people, and not selected
by a favored few, contrary to the wishes
of the masses. | pledge myself to do
at this coming session, if re elected, to
give my undivided attention to an ap-
preparation, increasing the pension of
!, the Confederate soldiers who defended
their country so bravely, and courage
onsly during the Civil War--four years
Of struggle, through the ordeals of
four winters and summers.
| would like to 90 further in the
questions involving the interests of tho
people; but cannot tax your kind pa
tience more than to say / will do as
have always done, stand steadfast by
the people that honored me during the
past eight years, Respectfully,
ROM. p. LEBLANC.