Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-11-16
JOHN PARKER, H., TO ...142
KHAKI IS LITE STOCK BOSS

The second annual National Farm
and Live Stock Show at New Orleans,
Nov. 1919, will have the OILY fair
superintendent in khaki.
1t required pretty near all the power
that could be gotten together in these
United States, but General Manager
/. B. Rennyson had his way, and John
M. Parker, Jr., will again be at the
head of the live stock department
Parker is a stockman if ever there
was one, even if he still is a young
ster. Everybody in the United STATES
knows the senior Parker as one Of
the most patriotic and Independent
citizens. He was Roosevelt's most
trusted leader in the south as long as
he thought Roosevelt was right. When
Roosevelt, because of his opposition
to Wilson, tried to take the Prog es-
sives to Hughes, Parker thought
Roosevelt was wrong and turned
around and helped elect Wilson. JOHN.
Jr., Oldest son and still boy. did not
bother much about politics. but he IN
herited his fathers independence and
love for the open air. He preferred
doing things to going to college. and
asked to be given a chance on one or
the Parker plantations. Then hilly
estate In West Feliciana, near Bayou
Sara, was turned over to him and a
comrade to convert into a cattle para
disc.
The boys were not given a blank
check to fill in, for that is no way 10
learn practical and profitable farming.
They had just about enough capital
for a small farmers foundation, and
the rest of the programme was theirs
TO work out. They did it. They built
ND with the material they found
around them: they did not waste anv
time on scrubs. and they went after
crops In keeping with the high-grade
stock they raised. They constructed
their barns and hog houses out OF the
waste wood, they erected their own
concrete silos out of the sand they
hauled from the creeks. In only 4
couple of years they had alfalfa, corr
and other fields, Hereford and Angus
grade steers, horses, mules and Slet
land ponies. Duroc hogs, Southdowl
and other sheep, goats and poultry
and were declaring dividends. JUS
at the top of his triumph young Park
er was asked to go to the city anc
give a hand TO some Of his father!
large affairs, dividing his time be
tween the plantations and the cottor
office. AS live citizen. approaching
the value Of fairs. he readily consent
cd to give hand to the National Farm
and Live Stock Show, too.
Young Parker entered herd in th'
swine show last year and went out Il
the fair grounds to look after its Al
rival. He found some congestion an
confusion incident to the rush OF
first attempt, and he straightene
things out. He found the cattle /
need OF looking after and took charg
there. He found a dozen and on
things that had to be attended to. an
attended to them. He was buyer an
seller. he was maste: of trausportS
ton and boss Of the barns; he was
fudge and a clerk; he was all thlnG
in all the avenues of helpfulness, an
he did not even stop working whe
night came. He worked without a.
pointment. without publicity and Wit
out nay. and his reward was that a
the stock exhibitors said that he m2u
the road easy for them and that the
had not a complaint to voice. Ma
ager Rennyson regarded the youngst'
"a almost the entire live stock stat
and was sure that with such cooper
tion the National would become lnte
national and the greatest fair in Il
country. So he appointed young Ia
ker live stock leader for life.
When this years show was plann'
and the premium list prepared u
name and picture of John NJ, Jr, we
high above all others. The trouble W;
that Parker himself was not aroun
The war had come on. and the bra
hovs we're following the flag to I!
front. The nation realized early tn
food was as vital as munitions al
Ia ordered the producers to rema
= Ae S5oW. With meat and gra