The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1907-08-17
EOURTH WARD GOOD GOVERN.
MENT MEETING.

at which the various candidates
for parochial Offices were invited
to make addresses.
Senator Wilson T. Peterman,
candidate for sheriff, was the first
speaker. Mr.. Peterman said:
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies, Gentlemen and
Members of the Fourth Ward Good
Government Club:
It seems that nothing could be more
fitting than that the candidates for the
various Offices should be invited to adj
dress your Club. The two great func-
tons of government are to preserve
order and enforce law. The enforce
ment of law and the preservation OF
order depends not on the government
but on the man elected to Office under
the government. Your form Of gov
eminent may be the best in the world
but unless the proper men are elected
to Office no law will be enforced or Or
der preserved.
Then gentlemen, I wish to cOngrat-
ulate you on the formation of this or
ganization. 1t is in evidence of high
Intentions and good citizenship among
the people of this ward. 1t is q de-
monstration of your interest in your
parish and your people, and all honor
is due to the men who can lay aside
self interest for q time and labor for
the common good.
Law and order have been the watch
words of the civilizers and govern
ment builders. The greatest names
that adorn the pages Of history were
the makers of law and preservers OF
order. Moses gave the law to the
Hebrews, Mohamed gave it to the
Turks and Arabs. Perceles and Scion
gave it to the Greeks, Justinian codi-
fed the law of Rome. The names that
adorn the pages of our own history
constitute the membership roll of the
greatest Good Government Club of
Ancient or Modern times. The same
spirit that animated these law makers
of all times is the spirit that must
animate you and it is only out OF such
spirit that we can have a good govern
ment of the people, for the people and
by the people.
There is further reason why l de-
sire to thank you for the opportunity
to talk to you, and that is am can
didate for sheriff of the Parish Of st.
Mary, as possibly most of you know,
and am glad of chance to let you
know how l stand on the question of
good government.
The sheriff of a parish is its peace
officer: it is his duty to take into Gus
tody all those who violate the law in
order that the District Attorney may
ascertain their guilt or innocence by a
trial before court. It is his duty to
do all in his power to enforce the
laws as he finds it on the statute books,
and gentlemen unless the sheriff OF a
parish is a believer 10 good govern
ment, then there will be no good gov
eminent. Unless he does all in his
power to arrest offenders against the
law, unless he uses the utmost dill
gence to see that the law is not vio-
lated, unless he devOtes his best ener-
gies to the cause of good government.
then there will be bad government.
I am a candidate for sheriff on a
square PLATFORM; l know what my
opinions are, and I'm not afraid to
express them; 1 know what l hope to
do If elected sheriff, and l have no
hesitancy in saying SO. You gentle
men who know me. know that all my
life has been lived in the open, and it
is my intention to make this race for
sheriff in the same way.
My campaign will be made before
the people and if l am elected l will
not represent any faction or party,
but will do the best I know how for
all the people. will make no COM
binations or agreements, because it
elected want to be sheriff in fact as
we'll as in name.
have not promised anybody an
immunity bath, nor do intend to do
SO. If am elected 1 shall permit no
self interest to intefere with my duty
as sheriff.
l have no hesitancy in saying that
the sheriff can do mOrethan any one
else in the cause of good government,
and it is proper that you should in
vite candidates for sheriff to address
you on the question of good govern
ment. Let's get out in the open and
see what we stand for.
IT a candidate for sheriff is not willing
to say where he stands, what he thinks
and what he will do, then he deserves
NO consideration from the public.
Now stand for good government
up and down the line. l believe in the
enforcement of the law. I obey the
law and I believe that every other
person should obey the law, no matter
how high he stands, how much money
he has, how much political influence
he has, he should obey the law. No
person should be exempt. If the rich
man violates the law he should be
punished as we'll as the poor man.
| believe in just administration of
all criminal law. Persons violating
the criminal law should be made to
answer. but oppression in Office is
intolerable. No man has a right to
another through an official
position. Matters should be in
vestigated honestly before an arrest is
made. No person should be deprived
Of his Ehart.. aaninstl, and u,itho,,f