The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-12-21
Mass Meeting at yerda.


mitt.e composed of G. j. Hutchinson,
Jno. S. Brister and P. W. Lotion,
rousing mass meeting was held III
the w. o. W. building at verda on
Tuesday, Dee. 18th, at which adj
dresses by various candidates were
listened tn with great attention.
The meeting was expressly for the
purpose ut getting the citizens who
had neglected to register To come
out and register, az the clerk OF reg
istration held forth at the Verda
precinct for the day. EARLY IN the
morning a slow rain bpgan to fall
and continued until well along IN the
forenoon, but despite the weather, a
representative gathering OF nearly
one hundred citizens were present.
About fifty names were added to the
rolls during the day.
At IL O'Clock the mass meeting
WIS called to order by Rev. r. W.
Lotion, who stated the object of the
meeting. Mr.J. NJ. Hanchey. mayor
Of yerda, was elected chairman. and
A. NJ. GOODWIN was named as secre-
tary. Mr.. HI. L. Brian ncted as mas
ter of ceremonies, and introduced
Mr.. r. W. Oglesby, candidate for
Senator, rs the first speaker.
Mr.. Oglesby Immediately branched
of into some of the issues now before
the people, specially touching on the
LIQUOR traffic, educa ton, and the care
of the old soldiers. Hestated if elect
ed he would favor the passing OF a
bill against the sale OF liquor si,nilar
to the one passed by the Alabama
legislature, and believes the next leg
isls ture for Louisiana will favor any
laws which will abolish the whisky
business i'm the State. Referring to
educational matters, he said Louisi-
ana was considered the tail end of
the southern States along education
al lines, but If the State WAS divided.
north Louisiana would rank with the
highest in eiuca tional matters. He
invors nny l~gislntiun in~the interest
of ietter schools, and believes the
State should make preparations Tor
carrying country children to the
schools, but first Of all good roads
were a necessity to carry out this
plan. He cited statistics of bonds
being voted in other States for build
ing good roads, but stated that Lou
isiana was not yet ready to vote
these bonds, hut when the time came
the people would vote them willingly
He tourhed on the Confederate Vet
Grams feelingly and eloquently, stat
ing that our State lags behind in the
care of her old soldiers, but no slurs
could he east because Louisiana had
had to contend with the reconstruc.
ton period to a greater extent than
other States, thereby mourning debts
that she was just beginning to recov-
er from, and the time WIS now at
hand to do something for the old
heroes. In closing he called atten
ton to the State debt being saddled
on us by carpet bag rule, and believed
the sooner the debt was liquidatet
the better.
Senator C. H. Teal was next intro
duced, and thanked those present TO
the opportunity Of meeting them. a
the speciaf session of the legislator
had Numbered him in his campaign
and it WIS only by there mass meet
ings that he would be able to max
MP for lost time and meet and discus
the issues with the voters. He refer
red to the good accomplished by th
special session. which bad strippe
the campaign Of all issues. and Gale
attention to the fact that no one wa
entitled to amy bouquets for the wnr
accomplished, as every one We'd Wit
the other in trying to give the pet
pie what was demanded. The Sens