The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1911-08-26
Verda Barbecue and Speaking
Fully Two Thousand People Turn Out to Hear Judge
Hall and Other State Candidates and Enjoy the
Splendid Hospitality of that Community.

The people or Verda, Mont
gomery, Lotion and vicinity have
good reason to be proud of the
splendid success Of the Verds
barbecue. 1t was one of the big
gest assemblies held in this sec.
ton for several years. and all OF
the arrangements were most ex-
cellent and were carried out with
fine judgment in all essential de-
tail. The meeting was judicious-
ly and extensively advertised,
special excursion trains and re-
duced railroad rates provided,
and the result was a fine crowd
of people, conservatively esti-
mated at two thousand persons,
and by some at twenty-five hun
dred or more.
Thus, on August %, when the
good people Of Verda and vicinity
turned out in holiday attire to do
the honors of host for the occa-
sion, they found a handsome as
semblage on which to bestow
their attention and hospitality.
The speakers present were
Judge Luther E. Hall, candidate
for Governor, Senators Henry L.
Gueydan and ]. Rush Wimberly,
candidates for Lieut.. Governor,
Hon. Baxter S. Braswell, candi-
date for State Treasurer, Colonels
B. w. Marston and VIM. Polk
and Hon. E. o. Bruner, candi-
dates for Commissioner of Agri-
culture and immigration. Judge
E. G. Hunter, one among fifteen
or twenty people from Alexan-
dria, was also one of the speak
ers. The local contingent of can
didates in Grant parish was also
present in full force, probably no
less than fifteen being present.
Mr.. H. L. Brian, chairman of
the committee on arrangements,
acted as master of ceremonies
and called upon Capt. c. H. Teal
to introduce the speakers. Ret
tig's military band from Shreve-
port, which came down on the
special excursion train from that
city, furnished ten or a dozen
excellent selections of music dur
ing the day.
The first speaker was Judge
E. G. Hunter, who made fine
speech of about a half hour. He
was followed by Capt. B. w.
Marston and Hon. E. 0. Bruner,
candidates for Commissioner of
Agriculture, in talks of about
twenty minutes each. Capt.
Marston was severe in his denun-
citation of "Sandersism," and
announced that he had but two
planks in his platform, and that
was to rid the State of Sanders
ism and boil weevils. Mr.. Bru-
ner announced his platform to
be to build up Louisiana agricul-
turally, help the farmer raise
more cotton, corn, rice, cane,
etc., per acre. and more and bet
ter horses, cattle hogs and all
kinds of stock, and to do this in
a business like way and save the
taxpayers every dollar possible.
Mr.. Baxter S. Braswell, of
Ruston, candidate for State Treas
urer, was the next speaker, and
announced that he was not align
ed with any candidate or faction.
He is probably the youngest can
didate for any State Office, being
only % years of age, and appear
ing several years younger. He
has been engaged in the banking
business for ten years, and has
fine qualifications for the office
to which he aspires.
At the conclusion of his speech
recess was taken for dinner,
which was prepared on the out
skirts of the splendid grove that