St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1912-08-17
Sen. LAzARO OPENS
HIS CAMPAIGN At
GRAND PRAIRIE.

sion of the opening Of his cam
paign at Grand Praiaie, in the
parish Of st. Landry, on We'd
1nesday, August 7th, Senator
Lazaro spoke in part as follows:
When [ became a candidate
for Congress / started out with
the idea that | would base my
/ claims on my own merits, and
win or lose on that alone, but /
had not gone far before my at
tention was called to a con1muni-
cation ia the Crowley Signal of
July %, which was said to have
been an interview with one of
my opponents, Hon. John w.
| Lewis of 0peiousas, which read
as follows:
T realize, said Mr.. Lewis
Sunday evening, that the real
fight will center in old Caleasieu.
Mr.. Locke will not run, and Mr..
Toonler has Withdrawn, leaving
but three candidates, Mr.. Chap
puis, Senator Lazaro and myself
In the race. The actual strength
Eof any one of the candidates will
be largely dependent upon his
showing ID Calcasieu. As far as
Senator Lazaro is concerned, it
is my intention to show him up
il his real light to the voters Of
this district. He voted for every
measure during Sanders admin
istration which prejudiced the
masses of the people against
Sanders; and how he can consist
entity submit himself to the people
at this time in view of the over
Whelrning defeat Of Mr., Sanders
is beyond my comprehension. {
believe that Senator Lazaro was
put in the race by the friends Of
Sanders merely to defeat my cam
didacy as a means of revenge up
on my father and myself for our
successful fight against Mr.. San
ders and his machine. There Is
no doubt that the active affilia-
ton of my father, Col. Thos. a.
Lewis, with the Good Govern
ment League, was one of the
greatest factors TO bring about
the defeat of DEL Sand
a few days later, while ia
OpeIousas, Mr.. Lewis came to
me in front OF the Lacombe Ho-
tel, and without a word from me
concerning that which appearedin
the Crowley Signal, said that the
statement was not just and he
denied having made it, and said
he would have it corrected. ]
have also been reliably informed
that he wrote a letter to a friend
in 0pelousas denying said state
ment. After having waited a
reasonable length Of time and
seeing no correction from him, i
communicated with the Crowley
Signal, and in reply received the
following:
Crowley. La, Aug. /, 1872
Senator L. LazarO,
Washington, La.
Dear Sir:
In. answer to your letter of re-
cent date in which you ask me
whether or not Mr.. Lewis made
the statement contained in my
publication Of an interview in
the Signal under date of July 20.
WhichSI said occurred between Us
/ have the following to say:
The interview substantially and
very nearly verbatim as publish
ed in the Signal took place be-
tween Mr.. Lewis and myself on
the afternoon of Sunday July Il,
during a trip from Opelousas to
Crowley. IF Mr.. Lewis denies
that he made these statements
to me during our conversation, |
am compelled to say most em-
phaticaIly, out Of justice to my
self and to the Signal, that he is
mistaken and that his distaste
for publicity as to his particular
views on the subject of our dis
course certainly has played havoc.
with his memory. II Mfr. Lewis
cares TO go further into the mat
ter, I viii be glad to prove at
any time that what { say is abb
solutely correct. As Mr.. Lewis.
knows, there were two parties
who heard him make the state
ments ii question, and who, T
believe, will be perfectly willing
to substantiate what | have said
at any time.
I do not care To enter into any
political controversy with Mr..
Lewis, which Is neither here nor
there so far as I am personally
concerned, but / stand ready at
time to vindicate myself If he
persists in his denial and lays
the responsibility of the inter-
view upon my shoulders.
Mr.. Lewis did write me a let
ter from Lake Charles, which /
still have ii my possession, and
which he asked me to publish.
In d vague way the conmunica-
tiOn would convey the impress