The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1920-01-17
SPEECH DELIVERED BY {. S, BROUSSARO
AT H0UMA, La, JANUARY, Il, 1920,

|
than 1926 cents less 2. That is
what happened.
Now in 1918 majority of the
board of director of the Sugar
Planters Association voted IN fla
vor of contract with the Ma
tionaI Food Administration. We
fought this, because this was a
club over our head from January
to October l, when at a meeting
in the st. Charles Hotel in New
Orleans we received the remarka
BILE statement from Mr. Parker
that any man Interested in sugar
who did not sign the contract
would have his license taken from
him and would get no cars 10
move his crop. We we're unable
to sell our sugar until thirty days
after the grinding season began.
| Of course in 1919 he deserves DO
credit, for be told the people of
North Louisiana, who questioned
bin, about the Increase 10 the
price of sugar, that he had moth
ing to do with the increase as ht
no longer was food administrator,
but as long as be was he kept thr
price down.
Great God, Bob Broussard
should Iise from The grave and
hear such a statement as was
made here yesterday!
There Is something wrong though
with Mr.. Parker. He knew he
had not done the things claimed
for him in his presence, yer he said
not worG IN correction. You do
not have to take my word for this
Ask any sugar planter who knows
the facts'".
Mr. Gilbert spent the day H.
New Iberia before speaking here
He knew, when he spoke in New
Iberia that night exactly what |
had said about the crops of 1917.
1918 aud 1919 He does not take
issue with me as to the correct
ness of the Fl igures which may br
verified by consulting the press of
the State of October 1917, or the
planters of he State; tut charges,
in substance, that Mr.. Parker
kept down the price of sugar
while be was food administrator
This was the very charge which |
was meeting when | made my
speech l charged that the ru
mors were grOnDdless and false,
and | am astounded that one as
plring to the Office of Lieutenant
Governor should take SO little
trouble to verify before adopting
these rumors as his own, because
fair play alone should induce one
of his standing to investigate be.
fore uttering But Mr., Gilbert
himself, as he admits, was lnter-
ested in the price of sugar foI
1917 1t he was interested, he
benefited by Mr. Parker's action,
and having benefited, am forced
to say that, whether for polltica
or any other reason, he has con
fessed himself an migrate by now
denying the facts.
Mr.. Gilbert says he hoped m,
statement was made in good faith
and not to deceive. He evidently
does not know that IN over twenty
years of political and business &C
tivity no such lnslnuation has be
fore been made against me in poll
tics. business or in my profession
What | say is always based on
facts and political affiliations do
not color, shadow or change plain
factp.
Mr.. Gilbert calls upon my late
brother to 'iise from the grave
and hear such statement as was
made yesterday There can br
no doubt that this worthy gentle
man was referring TO me-, as no
other speaker referred to sugar
prices. For the edification of Mr.
Gilbert / shall now inform him
that the facts stated by me with
reference TO Mr.. Parker's having
obtained sc 35 per hundred pounds
in 1917 by rendering his resigDa
ton as Food Administration were
told me by my late brother, who
needed not to be drawn into this
but who, thank God, told tht
truth in and out of politics.
The charge that you and yOu'
workers are making is that MI
Parker kept down the price OF su
gar while Food Administrator
while our contention ia that Mr.
Parker, by virtue of his standing
as the first citizen of the Stat'
and South. bad sufficient Influence
to move the National Food Admi
lniasfati0D, at a time when tb'
u -