The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-08-28

creased bitterness against his son and
many I-tOld-yOu-sos from Miss Roberta.
But John preached on. He did more
than attack. He devised and proffered
remedies with n naive disregard of the
conservative habit of the American
mind that melted mirth in some. an.
prehenSion in others and bewildermpnt
In still others. 1t is not necessary here
to eIlurlerate his remedies. They have
since become respectable.
He learned in common with other
young iconoclasts something of the ex-
istence and character and aims Of the
personal government which lay behind
the formal and of the marvelOusly
woven system by which the dominant
personalities twisted the form Of gov
ernment to their purpose. Being
young man who thought himself in
Spired, he was aghast and the more de-
termined to destroy that system. Not
wholly lacking sense of proportion.
| he realized the temerity of him who
undertook such wholesale destruction.
But his youthful optimism and faith
in the people had not failed. His task
was to expound the machine to the
people Of his state. Always he saw
victory just one year ahead.
In those days-to be exact, three
years after the destruction of the
Sheehan machine-there was strife in
the organizations Of both parties Upon
| the devoted heads Of Murchell and
| Duffy. the respective bosses. hurtled
abuse from strange quarters. Anxious
cries rang from the deck Of the ship
MurcheI had steered so long. Then
the storm burst.
The biennial election of state treas
urer was at hand. There appeared to
John one day plausible gentleman
who discussed the troubled waters. He
was In state of righteous Indignation
Murchelrs domination had continued
too long! Patience with his tyrannical
ways has ceased to be virtue His
unfitness had been proved by bis
breach Of contract to let Sherrod sue
ceed Beck And he. the messenger.
was glad to say, In confidence. that
those able and distinguished patriots
and leaders, Mark Sherrod and Phi
lander PARROT, were organizing re.
volt and proposed to make the treas
urership nomination test of strength.
And they had commissioned him to
urge that other able. etc., John Dun
meade. the man who had licked
Murchell in his own back yard" to
join the reform. He was deeply hurt
when John refused.
Haig, who also had made New Chel
sea his lega residence. invented sun
dry lurid epithets to describe Johns
folly and urged reconsideration. John
shook his head.
But l thought you wanted to put
Murchell out of business?"
Not Murchell. I've grown pas
that. I'm rather sorry for him just
now. And I'd rather have him ruI
: things than Sherrod. It's the in
: stitution we've got to destroy-as b,
; told me himself once. Nothing's gained
if we substitute one boss for another.
Then what are you going to do. IN,
destructive friendT'
) TRY to slip in between them.
: think-put up an independent candj
, date"
John made his campaign. When th'
5 primaries had been held. he was him
:. self astonished to discover that nearl,
t a quarter of the delegates chosen wer
. pledged to his independent candidate
e But before daylight on the night be
: fore the convention John learned tha
Y he had been used to draw delegate
. from Murchell for Sherrod's purpose
b he saw his band dwindle to q faithf,,
8 handful
S When the convention met. Sherro
was in control. After the preliminarie
a John, answering to the roll call q
@ counties, placed his candidate in nom
J. nation in a speech that could hardl
: be heard for jeers and catcalls
r. was brought to an abrupt conclusio
by yell from the gallery. "Sit dow
o sonny. Only money talks in this col
o ventionr' Even the delegates joine
4 In the roar Of laughter. And then th
&c coup was accomplished The Parrot
n Sherrod candidate was withdrawn m
Sherrod himself substituted. Ami
=. confusion that amounted almost to
~ riot he was nominated.
a A nOnpartisan candidate was put 4
y that fall. John and Jerry Brent wei
n most active in his support. They mad
- what was said to lie remarkab
If campaign. and In every county the
% were met with tremendous cnthus
"a asm People tlocked by thousands
hear them and cheered themselv
:, hoarse as the young orators excoriat'
- people marched to the polls. voted
:: they had always done and elected Il
:. old party ticket by majority
=. - more than 100000.
- The campaign fixed Johns pla
:. firmly In the public mind. This plas
- one that practical man would ha
- thought twice before seeking, was "
- at the cost of much of his buoya
" optimism 1t almost cost him his II
~ also A heavy cold contracted duri
y the last days of the campaign event
:" ally settled into a stubborn case
pneumonia There were many anxfn
~ days in the Dunmeade home Nor "
'"' Miss Roberta's anxiety unshar'
t! srbro,,rh f!rnn consecutive nirl
Hugh Dunmeade never sought