The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1904-07-02
The Next Judge (?)
(Communicated)
Mr.. Editor:


In the last issue of the New
Iberia Enterprise was published
an amusing contribution signed,
can Iberian."
This gushing and loving friend
of Mr.. James Simon reports an
imoginay trip to st. Martin Par
ish, and whilst there he meets the
.!men of Business, the men of
politics, and The Old Blocks OF
Democracy" of that parish. Con
tinuing his unbiased report, he
says "Ali of these men, unreserv-
edly announced themselves as
supporters of Mr.. Simon"
Wouldn't they laugh in st. Mar
tin, should they happen to lead
this pubHshed dream of can her
IAN"
| believe | know more of St.
Martins politics than Gan her
ian," and without citing too many
facts, | assert most positively
that Mr.. Simon is a badly beaten
man in his own Parish, and for
cause,
What | will now say is recent
political history, and all data will
be READILY furnished to anyone
interested
When Mr.. Simon was holding
the position Of District Attorney,
through appointment of Gov. Eos
ter. he was affiliated in st. Mar
tin Parish with the ReeS-Fourn-
ct faction. In December 1899, a
Democratic Primary Election was
held for the nomination of ParO-
chial officers and the Rees g.
Fournet faction was defeated by
the Labbe-BadOn faction. The
defeated Rees-FOurnet faction
(SimOn IN the ranks) then brought
out an "Independent Parochial
Ticket"
At about that time, the Judicial
Committee of this district ordered
Democratic Primaries for Judge
and District Attorney. Mr.. ST.
mon, then, was very DESTROYS of
serving the people Of his District,
but to enter the Democratic Pri.
maries, he had to renounce allie
glance to his "1ndependent''
friends of st. Martin Parish.
This he did bv signing a pledge
wherein he promised to support
the Democratic Nominees, Badon
and others. This pledge was pub
lished in some st. Martin papers,
and l am Informed that the orig
inal is in possession of the Hon
7. j. Liable, at st. Martinsville
La. The District Primaries wer,
held, and Mr.. Simon who accor
ding to Gan Iberian'' had don,
such good and strong work a
District Attorney was, strange t
say, not wanted at all by Us Be,
ians, and he received an immens
minority in this parish.
The Ballots had hardly bee
counted, proclaimlng his defeat
that Mr. Simon without more ado
turned squarely against his wri
ten pledge, promising support t
the Democratic Nominees, Bado
and others, and although still hole
ing Democratic appointment a
District Attorney, he went to wor
with great deal of elm to bel
the independents" in his parish
But Notwithstanding Mr.. Simon
popularity IN that parish, the hel
of the gentleman, landed the Il
dependents over 200 votes behn
the Democratic nominees.
The. changable Mr.. Simon di
not stop there In 1903, whe
the Rets--Fournet faction opene
their fight in st. Martin Parisl
this time as Democrats, Mr.. S
mon remained :nOn cOmmittal
apparently he was neither of tt
Rees-Fournet faction, nor of II
Labbe-Badon faction. He ";
at that time aspi Ing TO the Judg
ship and was laboring under II
deIusire hope that both sid
would give him free help. 81
action there proved him to be n
the friend Of his own faction; {
IN 1900, it proved him 70 be not
marty man when he Snnnnrted q