St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1917-04-14
Citizens Gather in Patriotic
Assembly Pay Glow
ing Tribute.
MAYOR BADON AND
OTHERS MAKE TALKS.
Home Guard Will Be Or
ganized and Soldier Fam
lilies Cared For.
(By Staff Correspondent

Slidell, La, April 10, 1917.
The largest mass meeting in the
history of Slidell was assembled in
the Red Mems Hall at O'Clock
tonight
Mayor Badon called the meeting
to order and stated that it was call
ed at the request of several citizens
for the following purposes:
First-The formation of an Or
ganization to look after the families
Of the men who have gone to the
front.
Second-The organization of a
home guard, which will protect the
homes and property of all citizens,
and to secure equipment and trained
men for service should there be call
for the same.
Mayor Badon stated there was no
disturbance in the town at present,
and that there were no indications of
any future trouble arising that the
authorities could not handle, and
that as Mayor he had the vested
authority by law to call on any citi-
zens and that he would not fail to do
so should the occasion arise. The
chairman then called on Rev. T. ].
Embree to make the opening ad-
dress.
Rev. Embree made a stirring and
patriotic talk, outlining the great
principles of American citizenship;
expressed the hope that all countries
would soon be free of monarchical
forms of government, and enjoy the
liberties, the freedom and the equali-
ty of men of the greatest nation of
all the wOrld-the United States of
America. That we must all support
the great man at the head of our
government, and that he could see
the hand of Providence working in
the portentious events occurring, and
that having a just cause and right
on our side of the conflict that our
arms would be victorious.
Mayor Badon then stated as this
was a citizens meeting that all were
entitled to be heard and invited all
to express their views.
DR.. j. K. Griffith then came for
ward and suggested that officers be
nominated. and placed Mayor Badon
in nomination for permanent chair
man, which was done by acclamation
amid applause. Nomination of sec
retary was called for and F. F. Wig
gintOn was nominated and elected,
after which DR.. Griffith again took
the floor and stated that the pri-
mary object of the meeting was to
provide means of assisting in the
care of the families of the men who
had gone to the front; that it was
the duty of those at home to do, this;
that there was an organized charity
association here, and it ahd been
suggested that that organization
handle the matter, but that it was
not charity that was demanded in the
preesnt case, and proposed that an
association be now formed for the
sole purpose of taking care of those
families OF the men who had gone
to the front. Messrs. Chas. Mouths,
w. J. Sebastian, Phil Hursey, Paul
Gardere and others expressed very
patriotic sentiments and offered
money, energy and services in every
way possible to be done by them.
Mr.. w. l.. Ellis, chairman Of f.
nance committee SEdell Benevolent
Association, offered their services,
and advised the meeting their efforts
were not confined to charity exclu-
sively, but were benevolent and that
the aims and character of the asso-
citation were OF the highest type, but
that they would insist upon the COM
bination of the two organizations as
the spirit of the meeting was to CEN
ter on the one idea of doing our duty
by the families of those men who
had gone to the front.
DR.. Griffith then suggested that a
committee be appointed to get up
a set of resolutions, make bylaws
and outline the work to be done by
various committees for handling the
finances, investigating the cases and
such other work as may be decided
upon and to report back to meeting
to be held two weeks from date
say April oath. This meeting the
approval of the assembly Chairman
Badon appointed the following: DR.
]. X. Griffith, chairman; F.. F. Wig
ginton, Jas. J. Barr, ]. B. Howe
Phil Hursey, S. w. Provensal, Pau
Gardere.
The chairman then asked that 9th
ers express themselves, and the pres
ence of Father Benedict Stetter be
ing noted he was invited to com,
forward and address the meeting.
(Continued on page y