The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1918-07-13
SENATORIAL ENTRY.

Interest in the contest for the
Democratic nomination of candi-
date for United States senator to fill
the unexpired term Of the lamented
Senator Robert F. Broussard Of Lou
isiana has taken on sudden impetus
and been greatly enhanced by the
entry of third aspirant for the
honor in the person of Hon. Edward
J. Gay, member of the lower house
of the general assembly from Iber-
vile parish, president Of the Louisi-
ana Sugar Planters Association, and
one of the best known sugar planters
and citizens of the state.
The two candidates already in the
field when Mr.. Gay decided to be-
come a contender for the senator
ship were former Governor Luther E.
Hall. erstwhile of Ouachita but now
a resident and citizen of New Or
leans, and Hon. John H. Overton of
Rapides, a leading lawyer of central
Louisiana and one Of the states
most eloquent and brilliant orators.
These gentlemen form distin-
guished trio and there is every rea-
son to believe that Louisiana will
have a worthy, capable and efficient
representative in the national senate
in the person of whichever one of
them proves victorious in the tri-
angular race. Expressions OF opinion
among members of the general as
sembly as quoted in the press 1ndl-
cate widely variant estimates Of the
relative strength of the candidates,
with tendency on the part of the
more conservative and unbiased ele-
ment to regard the aspirants as
probably quite evenly matched, and
the prospect for second primary so
strong as to be almost equivalent to
certainty.
The belief seems quite general
that if Mr.. Gay had made earlier an
nouncement, before his competitors
had obtained so many pledges OF sup
port under the impression that they
would be the only two candidates, he
would have been favored by many
prominent and influential men now
committed to either Governor Hall or
Mr.. Overton. Irresp ective Of this
handicap, however, It is safe 70 say
that the popular and Well-aualified
young Iberville legislator will COM
mand numerous and enthusiastic
following throughout the state, and
it is not an unreasonable expectation
on the part of his most ardent adj
mirers and hackers that he will lead
in the first, and distance his single
opponent in the second primary. It
is understood that Mayor Behrman
of New Orleans has assured Mr.. Gay
Of his support, and inasmuch as Col.
Robert Ewing, Democratic national
committeeman for Louisiana, and his
newspaper, the New Orleans Daily
States, are vigorously and unequivo-
cally advocating the same candidate,
it is fair to presume that at least a
majority of the seventeen ward lead
ers in the metropolis will be found
similarly aligned when the campaign
has assumed more definite shape.
The very name of Gay is power
full factor in the politics and public
affairs of "Bob" Broussard's old
third congressional district, and
scarcely less SO in the entire sugar
producing section, and the announced
purpose of the Iberville candidate
to visit all the parishes if possible
and place his claims in person before
the people is fair warning to all con-
cerned that the senatorial campaign
is going to be an extremely lively af
fair from this time until it's culmina-
tiOn