The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1906-09-21
Ma. MEREEITH'S CARD.
Continued from first page.)

thought necessary for certain
parties to 60 over Shreveport and
solicit subscription from the
wholesale and retail merchants of
that city and say to them that
twas to the interest of Shreve-
port to have the commissioner
elected from that city? I am not
antagonistic to Shreveport, nor
biased in the interest of any par
ticular section of people. If
elected, l shall discharge my duty
both to the common carriers and
the whole people, rs | see it in
the light of the law and my oath
of office.
In the first primary it was told
broadcast that l was "Blanchard's
candidate, and a tool of the Ad-
ministration." This / want to de-
nounce as a malicious lie, circu-
lated for political effect, and in
tended to influence by prejudice
those that their reasoning had
failed to move. | am not the
candidate of Governor Blanchard,
the city of Shreveport. nor any
other city or section, neither am
| the candidate of the corpor-
atlons, but entered the race of
my own free will and vol ition,
exercising the common right of
an American citizen. / am per-
sonallY responsible for my own
candidacy, and for my own words
and acts.
The vote of Caddo parish has
failed to impress the public mind
that / had the Governors sup
port in that parish, or that any
very keen solicitude was felt for
my candidacy there by any one.
Governor Blanchard personally
luay have voted for me. His adj
ministratlon did not support me;
his brother-in- law, Senator Bar
rett, of Shreveport, voted for Mr..
Hunsicker, and it's folly to tell
the public that the Blanchard
Barrett influence of Caddo, which
carried that parish in 1904
against the combined influence of
the Foster faction, by FIVE hum
dred majority, could only deliver
to me the measly sum of one
hundred and thirty votes, that
proved of difficult To count, and
full returns of which only
reached the Secretary of the
State on the 18th, day of Septem-
Der, seven days after the election
was held.
l do not charge irregularity,
because l can not substantiate it,
but the eye of suspicion will rest
on the city of Shreveport, with
fixed and influencing gaze, until
the "wisdom of future genera
tions" shall reveal the secret of
that complex and difficult count,
and tardy returns.
The race for railroad commits
sioner has now simmered down to
Mr.. Foster and myself. Mr..
Hunsicker has gone down in
honorable defeat, and / hope the
campaign will be continued on an
honorable plane, and true and
correct returns promptly made.
l have nothing but my ihtegri-
ty and reputation at stake in this
election, and l would not ex-
change it for any Office within the
| gift of the American people.
l still maintain that the law
| fixes the domicile of the railroad
commission at Baton Rouge.
and that our commissioner should
be found there when not absent
IN official business. | maintain
that Mr.. Foster is not sincere
when he tells the people that the
law does not fix that as his doml
cile, and require his time there
when not absent on official bust
ness. Later on / will prove by
indisputable evidence that he rec.
ognized Baton Rouge, not only a:
the legal domicile, but the per-
sonaI home of the commissioner
during the term of his Office.
4 | do not seek, nor will accept
the nomination, through any
other than fair and honorable
means.
i We are all white democrats
and the day has passed fo,
ways that are dark and trick
that are vain," and now | appea
to the voters Of the district to G,
to the polls on the 4th day of DC
tober. 1906, and cast their votes