The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-09-30
LA s
WHY he SUPPORTS MICHEL.

Manager of the Wilkinson Campaign
of 1907 Defines His Attitude in
Present Contest.
1t will be agreed by all who heard
the speeches delivered at the Michel
rally in Donaldsonville on Sept. 16,
that one Of the best and most forcible
presentations of the claims of the
Orleans candidate was made by R.. n.
Sims. Particular interest attached to
his utterances because he was mana
ger Of the Wilkinson campaign four
years ago, and as Mr.. Wilkinson is
supporting the Good Government
League ticket in the pending contest
many people had taken it for granted
that Mr.. Sims would follow his former
leader in that respect On this point
Mr.. Sims spoke as follows:
/ have been asked several times
why it was | supported Hon. Theo-
Gore S. Wilkinson four years ago,
and that in this campaign am sup
| porting Hon. John T. Michel.
I have no apologies to make for
supporting Col. Wilkinson. I recog-
nized in him one of Louisiana's best
and noblest sons. believed him to
| be the best man for tne goyernorship.
| I supported everything that supported
| him and / fought to the best of my
ability every interest and every per
son that opposed him. | glory in the
! fact that I was privileged to serve
him and my association with him wi:
ever remain cherished memory.
| o,,ff,, II Tof m
/ Michel in this campaign for the very
same reason. I believe him to be the
/ best man.
4 Mr.. Michel is a candidate for gov
arnor on his record, his merits and
his platform, and not on the delln-
i quencies of his opponents.
He has never at any period of his
campaign sought to drag those who
i opposed him in the mire of personal
1 politics. On the contrary, in his open.
ing speech at Ruston he was careful
to avoid any allusion to either Judge
i Hall or Prof. f.AsWell. He confined him
self to the discussion of his own
claims
An illustration of his deep-rooted
adherence for personal politics is
furnished by his connection with the
now famous autograph letter iron
Judge Hall to Mr.. Henry Bernstein
& of Monroe, asking the latter to write
Ii to the registrars ard game Wardens j
his behalf when he was candidate
3 for associate justice Of the supfemt
& court. This letter was in the posses
u sion Of Mr.. Michel some time befor'
Pref. AsWel charged that j lagge u g
Ihad written IT. The fact OF It's ez
istence was known to Mr.. Michel q
a very early stage OF the ca1npalgn
Hearing, in fact, that such iette
existed, Mr.. Michel asked MI. Beff 1s
stein for the document ana that gel
tleman turnlshed u. 4-
The temptation to use this lette
was naturally great. It completeI
nullified Judge Halls assumption 9
natural enmity to the machine
gave Mr.. Michel, in fact, lmmeasurs
Bile advantage over Judge Hall, bt
he declined to use it. The letter wa
kept for several weeks under ioc
/. aud key, and was returned to ny
Henry Bernstein, from whom IT ha
:. :, been obtained, when that gent1ema
. requested its return in order tnS
: he might be able to answer Judo
: Halls challenge for prcof OF u
q charge that he (Judge dail) na
"a written the letter. Pref.sffAsWell, VIC
}. out the. actual proof IN 'hls posse
. sion. was less ferbearing. Hesls co
% ducting a campaign along dlfferel
+ lines than those followed by VT. " Y
a. cheI, and jumped at an opportun''
E to nut Judge Hall ''in the nine hole
/ mert.ly state these facts abo1
ID the connec-io ion Of Mr.. Michel WI
- The Hall letter in order to shcW vt
=. the sincerity Of the man who
&c cause I am espousing and to convln
1s YOU that when he says a thing
20 means it.
@ Prof. AsweH, in several of his a
Il dresses, referred s.lghtlnsly 70 ~
=. Micnel's occupation as stonogTaphe
&c He said in his Baton Rouge spec.
- +. that Mr.. Michel had been taking dl
3 tation all his life, and would take
at Baton Rouge if elected governt
ID His reference, Of course, was TO
i. litical dictation, but the records Z
=. t !, o., ,,,t 4Ia charge