The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1920-08-19
SYNOPSIS or CONGRESSMAN
WATKINS OFFICIAL RECORD

On September II. 1918 in conformity
with the returns reported to the Demo
cratic Congressional Committee Of the
Fourth Congressional District Of LoniS-
lana by the Secretary Of State it was
declared that the vote at the Primary
Election neId on September 10Th was
rs follows.
J. r. WatkinS~,.,.,...,..,,,......-......,4.S01
j. n andIin...........,......,,-.....-,.4,2lS
the majority Of j, 7. Watkins being
$50.
Having been declared the nominee,
and afterwards, duly elected | entered
upon the discharge Of my duties as a
member of the SiXty-SiXth Congress
with that same determination which /
had heretofore formed to bend every
energy to faithfully represent the ~"
pie Of the Fourth Congressional Dis
trict who had 50 signaily hon0rcd me.
Many momentouS questions growing
out Of the war were presented for CON
sideralion and all Of them were most
carefully considered and action taken
after due drliberatiOn.
Billions Of dollars had to be raised
to meet the Indebtedness growing out
of the war. Having assisted III pro
curing enactment Of the Income Tax
Law, which assessed those wealthy per
sons who had amasscd fortunes out Of
war contracts | favored the continual
ton of the collection Of this Income
Tax as one of the sources Of produc-
Ing revenue and it was largely through
this inStrumcntality that the United
States Government was enabled to tie
fray the expenses incident to the war
After the Germans had surrendered
it became necessary to inauguratc SyS-
tenn of rehabilitation. | advocated the
laws providing for the soldiers i'll every
respect, for their insurance, allotment,
allowance, compensation, bonus, yOca
ti0nal education, increase in their pay
and all other measures conclusive to-
their welfare, considering that no sac
riice which could be made for them
was too great as a recognition of the
noble and heroic service which they
had performed in saving this country
from calamity and the world from the
greatest catastrophe in its history.
| opposed the Universal Compulsory
Military Training Bill and the bill pro-
viding for the return Of the railroads
by the Government with a bonus of
three hundred million dollars to the
owners and five and One-half per cent
dividend guarantee in addition to APP
proximately one billion dollars which
had been expended by the Government
in the interest of the railroads during
Government control.
/ favored the law against pr0iiteering
and | have eXerted my utmost en-
deavOrs to protect the cotton industry,
to procure Government appropriations
for good roads, for the establishment
Of Rural Free Delivery routes, Parcels
post, the Reserve Banking Law, the
Postal Savings Banks, for national pro-
hibition, the election of United States
Senator's by direct vote of the people,
to prevent combinations in restraint of
trade and assisted in procuring the
passage of the Clayton Antitrust Law
and the amendment thereto providing
for farmers unions and labor unions
to be eliminated from the provisions of
that Law for the establishment of
Government nitrate plants to manufac
ture cheap fertilizer, the Farm Loan
Law, Safety Railway Appliance Law,
and providing compensation for Coy
eminent employees who are injured
while in the performance of their du-
ties. | favored a liberal increase in
the compensation of postal employees
and have uniformly favored bills pro-
viding for eight hours employment in
the Government service aud ON rail
roads. favored increases in the wag-
es of Government employees; but OPP
posed the increase in the salaries of
highly paid Government officials, in.
Guiding the members Of Congress and
their secretaries
1t is upon this record that | sub
nit my claim for reelection. Assuring
the good people of this Congressional
District that the confidence which they
have reposed in me has not been mis-
placed and that their welfare is al
ways uppermost in my mind in every
official act which is presented to me for
consideration, / respectfully request
their support at the Primary Election
which is to be held throughout the
Fourth Congressional District on Sep
tember 14th.
(Adv.) J. Il. WATKINS.