1912 Political Article on Oliver Cromwell Dawkins, native of Union Parish Louisiana
Submitted by:        Beth Mathews & Pauline Mobley
Date of Submission:  21 April 2008

************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm
************************************************

==================================================================================
=================================================================================
1912 Political Article on Oliver Cromwell Dawkins, native of Union Parish Louisiana

Published in the Farmerville "Gazette", issue of 14 August 1912
==================================================================================
=================================================================================


Oliver C. Dawkins

Mr. Dawkins was born on a farm in Union Parish forty-eight years ago and has resided 
in this congressional district ever since.  He attended the public schools and afterwards 
took a three year university course.  Leaving the university Mr. Dawkins taught school, 
reading law at nights and during vacation, and was admitted to the bar in October, 1886, 
and in December of that year began the practice of his profession at Farmerville.  While 
practicing law in Union he was examiner of public school teachers in that parish, 
and also did editorial work, being a clear, entertaining and forceful writer, always 
expressing himself with frankness and fairness, but with kindliness toward those who 
differed from him. 

In 1896 he moved to Monroe and for nine years edited the Evening News, which he sold 
in 1905 to resume the practice of his profession. As a political writer he has few 
superiors in the State; and as a public speaker he is regarded as one of the most 
forceful eloquent and entertaining orators in Louisiana.

While editing the Evening News, Mr. Dawkins was the first man in Louisiana to advocate 
the abrogation of conventions in the Democratic party, and insist that all party 
nominations should be made by the people in direct while primaries contending that 
as the Negroes had been eliminated from the electorate of the State that the baneful 
effects of political bosses and boss ridden conventions should be dispensed with.  In 
1898, when a successor to the late Congressman Baird was to be chosen, he made an 
earnest appeal to the Fifth District Democratic Congressional Executive Committee to 
call a white primary and allow the people directly to select the nominee.  The 
committee refused to grant this request and ordered a convention, whereupon Mr. Dawkins 
boldly carried the fight for direct primaries before the people of the district and so 
heartily did the people endorse the justice of his demand; that the committee was forced 
(for fear of repudiation of its action by the people) to reassemble and order a white 
primary.  Since that successful fight by Mr. Dawkins for the people, white primaries 
for the nominations of all candidates has prevailed in Louisiana.  

Politically, he has never advocated anything than Democratic doctrines, always adhering 
to the true principles of he arty.  He is not a rainbow chase, nor a fence stradler, 
not a man blown about by every new wind of doctrine, but always has been an advocate 
of he safe and sane in government.  Persistently he has urged that this is a government 
of the people, by the people, and for the people; that theyare rightful sovereigns and 
officials simply their servants and agents.

Mr. Dawkins is a married man; having a wife and six children.  He has always taken an 
earnest interest in church matters, public education, public advancement and public 
affairs. Having all his life resided in this district acquainted with its needs, and its 
people, possessing familiarity with public questions, being a forceful speaker, in the 
prime of life and of mature judgment, he is well qualified to take care of and promote 
the interests of this district in Congress                  ---News-Star, Monroe, La.


#############################################################################