The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1912-08-29
John T. Watkins. the Man.

It is exceeding gratifying to learn that
the citizens of the City of Shreveport are
not pressing their claim to the only posi-
ton which is not already filled by citizens
of that city, and that they are willing to
accord to the territory, which is trade
tributary to Shreveport, the one remaining
official who does not live in Shreveport.
Congressman John T. Watkins of Minden
has so satisfactorily represented the inter-
ests of the City of Shreveport that from
all the information which we can get the
people there are willing for him to continue
as their representative. He has been en-
abled during his term as Congressman
from the Fourth Congressional District to
accomplish many things for Shreveport,
such as procuring new Government build
ing; the the privilege of constructing a
traffic bridge across Red River, large ap-
preparation for Red River rural delivery
routes running out Of the city, and he
stated at speech at the city hall two
years ago that he began working as soon
as he entered Congress to procure the pas
sage of law for the national Government
to take over the quarantine system imme-
diately after yellow fever developed in
Shreveport in 1905, and there has been no
case of yellow fever in Louisiana since the
law was passed.
We see from the papers that he is now
trying to have Twelve Mile Bayou closed
and the channel changed through Cross
Bayou, which will drain and protect the
large area of rich overlooked lands.
With soil survey of Caddo Parish and
a geological survey of the oil fields he is
credited, and these no doubt add much to
the material prosperity of Shreveport.
The parishes composing the Fourth Con-
gressional District of Louisiana, being
tributaries to Shreveport and virtually be-
ing her life blood, appreciate the fact that
the citizens of Shreveport are liberal
enough in their views to consent that a
representative be continued in the service
who is doing so much for the material well
fare of that territory surrounding Shreve-
port.
Whenever the representative has pro-
cured the establishment of rural free
delivery route, or of an agricultural de-
monstration farm, or a soil survey in any
of these parishes, as he has done in Ben-
vile and some of the others, or has dis
tributed new variety of seed or agricul-
tural bulletins which would benefit the
farmer, or procured the passage of a law
providing an appropriation by the United
States Government for the construction of
good roads, which has recently been done,
or where he has in any other way done any
act which betters the conditions of this
trade territory to the city of Shreveport,
his act has been indirectly in her interest
and in building upthe surrounding country.
Shreveport should be, and no doubt is,
proud of her citizenship. Many noted peo-
pie live there. The Ex-Governor of the
State, who has served in the capacity of
Governor, Judge of the Supreme Court,
United States Senator, Member of the
House of Representatives, resides there,
as also does the Lieutenant Governor of the
State, the Attorney General of the State,
the State Bank Examiner, the President of
the State Board of Health, the Judge of
the United States Court, the United States
District Attorney, the United States Mar
shall, the Clerk Of the United States Court,
and many others.
We believe that it was through the efforts
of our Congressman that the United States
Cooperative Demonstrators were located
there.
We should not have failed to mention
the fact that the present Judge of the Su-