The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1908-08-29
Wickiiffe Mass Meeting.

The Wicklitfe mass meeting held a.
The courthouse Monday night was one
Of the best attended aud most enthu
siastic aft airs of it's kind on record in
this community, and gave ample evil
dence of the high degree of esteem and
admiration in which bob" Wickliffe
is held by the voters of the parish.
At the hour set for the opening of the
meeting, O'Clock, the district court
room was crowded to. It's utmost capac-
ity with a large and representative
+ audience, including a number OF
aides, the heavy rain which fell
throughout the greater part of the
afternoon having had no appreciable
effect in diminishing the attendance.
The meeting was called to order by
Attorney B. J. Vega, who introduced
Hon. r. N. Sims as chairman. Upon
assuming the chair Mr.. Sims delivered
an eloquent and inspiring address in
Mr.. Wickliffe's behalf, outlining the
reasons why the brilliant young Fell
cianian should be elected to congress
and calling upon the voters of Ascen-
sion to rally to his support in the
forthcoming primary. At the conclu-
sion of his address Mr.. Sims called
upon Capt. Frank K. Sims and V.
Alcee Rodriguez, who campaigned
with Mr.. Wicklite during the Spanish
American War to act as secretaries.
Mr.. Wicklife was then introduced
aud received an ovation as he stepped
forward to begin his address. He dis
cLssed the various issues of the cam
paign in his usual brilliant and force
full manner, paying special attention
to Mr.. Favrot's vote on the suffrage
clause in the constitutional convention
OF 1898, and stressing the fact that
East Baton Rouge has had the honor
of furnishing the sixth districts con-
gressional representative almost uain-
terruptedly for the past thirty years,
to the exclusion of all the other par
ishes in the district. He said when
the Plaquemine locks had been com
pleted aud were ready for testing,
Robert f. Broussard, member Of con-
gress from the third Louisiana district,
had gone to Piaquemine to confer with
the United States officials, but George
K. Favrot, who represents the district
wherein the locks are situated.
| not only failed to eVince the least in
terest in the matter, but had taken no
part Whate yer in the important con
ference held at that time. MIR. Wick
life said that Mr.. Favrot has done
absolutely nothing in congress and
should be replaced by some one more
alive to the duties and possibilities
of the position and better prepared to
look after the interests of his eonsbil-
uents.
Discussing the Bayou Lafourche
locks, Mr.. Wickiitfe declared that he
stood for The building of these locks at
the earliest pr ScGicable time, either by
the Atchafataya and Lafourche basin
levee boards or the United S ates gov
ernmant, and that ii elected to con-
gress he would exert his utmost en-
deavor TO accomplish this end.
Mr.. WickIitfe spoke for nearly an
hour and a half, holding the undivided
attention of his audience throughout
and eliciting numerous expressions OF
approval and endorsement in the shape
OF outbarsts of applause and cheering.
His address was an able, logical and
convincing presentation of the various
issues introduced iuto the pending
sixth district campaign. and has sell
dom been excelled locally for orator.
cal force or e0gent reasoning. What
makes the handsome young Felieianian
ALI the more popular ia this commu-
nifty is the fact that he saw service DUR
ing the SpanishAmerican war as
member OF the First Louisiana Volun-
teer Infantry, If which regiment Com
pany e, largely made up of Donald
sonville and Ascension young men,
formed a component part.
The we'll knoNu ST. Joseph brass
band furnished music during the meet
ing and headed the procession which
was formed TO convey Mr.. Wicklftfe
from the Nichols Hotel to the court
house.
Mr.. WicklifTe arrived at Donald
sonville Monday afternoon from
French Settlement, Livingston parish.
where he addressed big meeting al 4
O'Clock p. %. Sunday. Hon. Joseph |
Hebert presided, ard il is eslima ted
that there We're fufly 500 people present.
Mr.. Wickliffe delivered one of his
eloquent and stirring addresses, and |
at the conclusion OF his remarks was
presented with beautiful bouquet by
Miss Althea Hebert, the attractive
daughter OF Hon. and Mrs Joseph
Hebert. On tbs trip overland from
French Settlement TO Donaldsonville
Mr.. Wickliffe vas accompanied By /
Representative Joseph Gonzales of |
the seventh ward, who is one Of his /
many saauneh and influential sup
porters IN this parish.