The Natchitoches enterprise., 1916-01-20
THE PEASANTS MEETING.

Col. RuffiE u. Pleasant, demo-
cratic candidate for governor,
spoke at the Court House on
Tuesday night 10 an audle ce
which taxed the building to its
capacity, a thoroughly represen-
tatiye assembly in which there
were many ladies.
Towards the last of his speech,
Col. Pleasant evoked considerable
enthusiasm which was evidenced
by bursts of applause from the
audience.
On the whole, the address W; a
plausible one in the interest Of MS
candidacy, the most admire BE
feature of which was the cort sy
and consideration, which he SHOW ed
his opponent Governor Barrel.
Indeed. the fact that both these
distinguished gentlemen have thus
far conducted their campaigns on
the highest plane and in sucn a
manner will permit the loser in he
fight for the nomination and ais
followers to join hands with he
winner and his followers, in ne
common fight against a CONN IN
foe, at the general election a
most gratifying feature of he
campaign.
Col pheasant, while saying nc h
| ing which could be distorted to
any thing casting a reflection u IN
the personal character of & v.
Barrett. nevertheless reiterated lis
oft-repeated charges against le
latter, which have been as of m
explained and refuted.
On the great question of pre- IL
bition which is admittedly , le
paramount issue in this campals 1,
Col. Pleasant if he is sincere,
which we do not doubt, is an un-
compromising standpatter. He
plants himself squarely upon the
alleged fundamental principle of
democracy, local self government
and seeks to apply that doctrine
to the saloon evil. The logic If
his position is, that SO long IS
there is majority of voters n
any parish of the State, W o
desire saloons within their paris /,
the State of Louisiana will ha e
neither the right nor the power o
Join its sister states of the Sou h
in destroying the liquor traffic.
II his doctrine is accepted by
majority of the people of til S
State, the probability is, th't
Louisiana will become a NOR Il
dlrplect on this question, until SIZE
is forced BY nation wide prohiE
'rrras a eandids ss y1uzs
The licensed liquor traffic is eth +
an evil or it is not; either b. ]
thing for the public or a goo |
thing. If it is not public evil,
there is no excuse either IN mora )
or law for local option or stat !
wide prohibition.
If it is public evil, it is ii ,
duty of every patriotic citizen / }
see that it is driven as far from b )
locality and his State as POSSIBLE
If the licensed sale of liquo :
impares the health and endangeI
the lives OF the people and is /
menance to the peace and GOO !
order of society, it is preposteror
TO attempt to apply to it, the gre:
principle of local self-governmel !
for the plain reason that you Cal :
not restrict its evil effects -
localities.
1t is unfortunate indeed that the
exigencies of the contest hav5
forced man of Col. Pleasant
antecedents, character and stano
ing, Tito the attitude of repeatin
the only arguments which th
liquor interests now urge in .thei
own defense.
Col. Pleasant in concluding hi
speech made it clear that .Wha
ever may be the result next Tues
day, he would be found battsin'
for the triumph of democracy
Col. Pleasant was preceded b
Mr.. G. Whitfield Jack, now o
Shreveport who said in open
ing his speech that while Shreve
port is his residence, his heart'ewa
in his home town of Natchitoches
Mr.. Jack is Natchitoches DO,
and at present U. S. District At
torney of the Western District o
Louisiana. His large success ii
his chosen profession reflect