The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1916-01-22
Murrell Answers 0'Quinn's Circular

as my opponent makes? In order for
any one else to have chance of hold
ing public Office you would have to
wait for all of us to die under the ar
gument of my opponent before any
one else would have chance.
Under the argument which | have
submitted to you, and upon which /
have acted as to the Assessors office,
every one will have an equal show.
1t is folly for any one to claim that
there is only one man in the parish
capable of filling the office of Clerk of
Court, or of Assessor, or Sheriff, for
the truth is that there are a number
Of men in Grant parish as capable as
either my opponent or myself.
l note that my opponent fears that
my candidacy is based on the desire
of selfish politicians to get control of
the Clerks Office. No one need have
any fears on this score. When the
people have elected me as their Clerk,
there will be no dictation either to or
by me. promise the people that
when | am elected Clerk, as | have
every reason to believe | will be, to
treat every one fairly and courteously,
and to conduct the affairs thereof at
all times soberly, carefully, promptly
and cheerfully, as | have heretofore
cor Quoted the affairs of the Assessors
office.
| am sure that have been as liberal
and as charitable as has been my dis
tinguished opponent, and | shall of
course continue to be so in the future
as in the past. In so far as any as
sistance the people have received from
the Clerks office, they may rest as
sured that this line of service, common
to every Clerk of Court in the State,
will be continued by me, and | prom
Use you that / shall make you as COM
petent Clerk of Court as you will find
in the State. But | shall not criticize
other Clerks of Court either now, or
when | am elected Clerk, as my wor-
thy opponent has done in his address,
when he claims that he is far ahead
OF the Clerks of Court in our sister
parishes.
My friends believe am as compe-
tent to discharge the duties of Clerk
as my opponent is, and | know of no
reason why | should not share this
opinion with them.
! am disposed to dispute the claim
OF my opponent that he knows more
about the records of our parish than
any man in it." My eight years ex-
perience in the Assessors office have
qualified me as well, perhaps, as my
opponent or any one else in regard to
our records. 1t is mistake that the
longer you hold an office the more
you know. How much one learns
does not depend upon time but the
mental effort and the mental strength
put forth.
| am as able to give the people in
formation as to the records of our
parish as my honorable opponent is,
and / am sure that | am at least as
much disposed to do it as freely and
cheerfully. In this respect feel sure
can improve on the record of my
opponent.
If you think that the Assessors Of
flee pays 81, 100000 net per year, as in
tlmated in my opponents circular,
take the tax rolls in the Clerks office,
or in the Sheriff IS Office, and make the
calculation of the commissions for
yourself, and you will see that my
has missed the mark more
than million dollars in assessed val
ue, and about two thousand dollars in
receipts. Ask him what the Clerks
office pays, and why has he allowed
the people to impose the Clerks office
upon him for sixteen years for a mere
trif1e, and now wants four years more
Of it?
assure my friends that | will be
with the amount of compen-
sation paid by the Clerks office, and
will not be candidate for the same
office for the THIRD TERM, and be-
fore / will allow my wife and children
to suffer on account of the small
amount received by the Clerk, will
resign the FIRST. YEAR.
Trusting that you will help a wor-
ny son of Louisiana to higher office
IN the 18th day of January. 1916, lam
Yours truly,
F. &c MJIPREJI