The Natchitoches enterprise., 1915-12-09
To The Editor Of The Enterpris ::

gentlemen who are seeking t,ls
high honor, Lieutenant Govern u
Barrett and Attorney Gene /.
Pleasant, are conceded to y
| men of ability and high persO a
character.
There is, therefore, no persona
issue involved and no excuse foI
INDUCING in personal criticism O
either of them.
Their platforms are substantially
the same except uDon the question
Of prohibition.
Mr.. Peasants tavors local optior
with the parish as the unit anc
has IN his speeches declared him
self opposed to statewide prohibi
ton until such time as every
parish in the State shall have
voted itself into the dry column.
This is all that the most srdent
friend of the saloon could ask.
Mr.. Barrett, on the other bar ,
favors the extension of the. u.
from the parish to the corgre :
sional district, SO that the peQi Z
of each district may have I'll e
power by their votes, to Sav
whether or not liquor shall be So d
within SUCH district. :
He further pledges hilnselfA O
case he is elected governor, to I, G
his influence to have submitted -
the people of the entire state at a
election to be called for that pr :
pose, the question of state-wiI G
prohibition. Surely no Democrs
ought to object to such a messura.
Thus we have presented a clear
cut political issue between tho. E
who favor state wide prohihitic !
and those who oppose it-betwet n
the enemies of the saloon ard is
friends.
But the opponents of Mr.. Barrett
will not discuss this issue, but
resort to every scheme known to
politician to divert the minds If
the people from the only real
issue in the contestant yet if
they are successful in their efforts
TO defeat Mr.. Barrett. the result
will be heralded throughout tie
United States as a victory for the
saloons.
One of the means by which the"
eek to dodge a free and fran;
discussion Of the prohibition ques i
ion is q criticism of Mr.. Barre 4
Frey question his sincerity ar
ay that he IS a trimmer
man utterly wantina
or cOnVlctlon on al
'ublic question, and withot
moral courage.
A public man makes his recor
y his conduct with regard to tn
public questions and issues upo
which he is requested to act.
Now what is Mr.. Barret's re
,ord tested by this rule.
He has been a member of the
State Senate for many years
since 1900, / rhink-and the pull
ic official record of that bod
shows that Mr.. Barret has bee
On the moral side of every meae
ire which involved a moral qnes
sion.
He began his public career by
fight against the La
State Lottery in 1892 and in 1880
t is conceded that his speech i
"a, Or of the Locke bill, which pf
ID end to horse race gambling il
Louisiana, saved the day for til
friends of that important more
-
A more recent incident which
showed that the charges which hi
opponents make against him ar
lnfounded, was ole in which sha
'eople of this town and parish
ave a vital interest.
In 1914 a bill--known as tha
Price Bill--was before the legisIa. |
ure. 1t provided, in substance |
or the establishment of Norma |
chool departments in the midas !
rial institutes at Ruston and La
ayette. It was believed by the
riends Of the State. Normal School !,
bat such a law would seriously !
atard the growth of that institu
ion if Ii did not reduce it to the !,
osition of a merely local school.
It was estimated by competent
ntkorities that it would reduce
IL attendance az the Normal
shool 80 per cent.
A committee was appointed BY