The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1915-11-27

4
Barret's Letter to Thomas Boomer
ang to Peasants Campaign.
The Pleasant campaign mana.
gers few days ago published
with great glee and gusto a letter
from Mr.. Barrett to Mr.. Warren
| Thomas, assessor of ST. Tamma.
ny parish. under date of July
80, 1915.
Mr.. Barret's letter follows:
My Dear Mr.. Thomas-I am just out
of campaign for the constitutional
convention and during that time | had
absolutely no opportunity to answer my
correspondence.
Referring TO the question you inquire
about, am local optionist | believe
that parishes as unit ought to regu-
late these sort of affairs like they do
in tagging for smallpox, diptheria, or
scarlet fever. l believe in the parish
as unit. If the unit is lessened, it
ought only to be with the consent of
the people of the parish. Personally.
have always thought that the biggest
thing in the parish is the parish itself.
As it furnishes the court house and
grand jury. provides for the criminal
expenses, etc., its supremacy should be
maintained.
Prohibition has never been submitted
to the people of Caddo parish but twice.
On one occasion l could not be present
to vote. On the other occasion was
present and voted for prohibition. The
agricultural sections of our State do
not favor the open saloon. The great
mass Of our people get along better
without them. The parish of Caddo
mas been dry for some years. Most all
OF its country wards have been dry for
many years, some of them as long as
sixteen years. The matter is not much
discussed here, though some people in
sist on making it an issue even in the
election of delegates to the constitu-
tional conversion.
| have not time to write you more
fully to-day my views upon the matter
and am only answering your personal
letter. This is not for publication.
Yours very truly,
Personal. THOMAS C. BARREr.
Referring to the isolated state
ment in this letter. Il am a local
optionist." the Pleasant cam
paigners totally ignore~th fact
that Mr.. Barrett used this lam
guage in direct reference to the
question Thomas inquired about. |
The question propounded by Mr.. |
Thomas aroused the suspicion
that he was seeking to secure a |
reduction of the parish unit in
liquor legislation in St. Tammanyl
parish, and Mr.. Barrett unhesita-
tingly replied that as a prohibi-
zionist he stood for nothing less
than the parish unit to control
in such matters. His distinct
statement that the agricultural
sections do not favor the open sa-
Don and that they get along bet
ter without them, plainly shows
MS decided leaning in the matter.
AS prohibitionist Mr.. Barrett
decreasing the parish
init, and he left the question of
he Congressional unit and State
vide prohibition wide open. Att
hat time the prohibitionists of
louisiana accepted the parish
init as their standard, so twenty
hree days later, when on the 23d
lay of August the Anti-Saloon
league met in Alexandria and
declared for the Congressional
init. Mr.. Barrett was perfectly
rec to accept that standard, and
le did so manfully, straightfor-
ward and without circulocution
n September, when he made the
Congressional unit his local op-
ion unit in distinct words, and
'ledged himself in the first plank
+ his platform to work for State ,
vide submission. ]
Therefore all prohibitionists
hould vote for Thomas C. Barrett
mr. UnvorpOr uo cforJc e.. ILL