Arthur C. Watson - Revision history

LT: /* Political activities */

2023-05-30T19:10:18Z

Political activities

BHathorn at 21:25, March 1, 2023

2023-03-01T21:25:29Z

BHathorn at 21:25, March 1, 2023

2023-03-01T21:25:15Z

LT: /* Political activities */

2023-02-20T02:50:58Z

Political activities

BHathorn: /* Political activities */

2023-01-28T00:51:21Z

Political activities

DavidB4-bot: Spelling, grammar, and general cleanup, typos fixed: 69-50 → 69–50

2022-10-31T05:39:24Z

Spelling, grammar, and general cleanup, typos fixed: 69-50 → 69–50

BHathorn: /* Career */

2022-10-13T00:27:50Z

Career

BHathorn at 23:40, March 5, 2022

2022-03-05T23:40:16Z

BHathorn: /* Preservationist and civic leader */

2022-03-05T23:39:32Z

Preservationist and civic leader

BHathorn: /* Political activities */

2021-04-24T01:18:27Z

Political activities

@@ Line 40: / Line 40: @@
 ===Political activities===
-In 1936, Watson ran unsuccessfully for state representative on an intra-party ticket opposing the [[Huey Long|Long]] political faction. Two incumbents, [[W. Peyton Cunningham]] and Leon Friedman, were renominated and reelected at large. There was no single-member representative for Natchitoches Parish until 1964.<ref name=house/>
+In 1936, Watson ran unsuccessfully for state representative on an intra-party ticket opposing the [[pro-Long]] political faction. Two incumbents, [[W. Peyton Cunningham]] and Leon Friedman, were renominated and reelected at large. There was no single-member representative for Natchitoches Parish until 1964.<ref name=house/>
 In 1940, Watson was elected to the legislature, alongside John O. Williams, for a single four-year term. In that same election cycle,  [[Sam Houston Jones]] of [[Lake Charles]] defeated [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]] for the governorship. One of his two House successors was [[Sylvan Friedman]],<ref name=house>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2020|publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=December5 7, 2019}}</ref> a [[Jewish]] [[farmer]] and large landowner in Natchez in Natchitoches Parish, who was from 1952 to 1972 a member of the state Senate.

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 Leon Friedman (two members)
 |succeeded=[[Sylvan Friedman]]
-[[Numa T. Delouche]] (two members)
+[[Numa Delouche]] (two members)
 |birth_date=December 15, 1909
 |birth_place=[[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], Louisiana, USA

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 Leon Friedman (two members)
 |succeeded=[[Sylvan Friedman]]
-Numa T. Delouche (two members)
+[[Numa T. Delouche]] (two members)
 |birth_date=December 15, 1909
 |birth_place=[[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], Louisiana, USA

@@ Line 46: / Line 46: @@
 Though Natchitoches Parish is a neighbor to the Long stronghold of Winn Parish, Watson was identified with anti-Long elements within the state's dominant Democratic Party. Two of Watson's House colleagues who later make unsuccessful races for [[governor]] were [[Bill Dodd|William J. "Bill" Dodd]], then of Allen Parish, and future New Orleans [[Mayor]] [[Chep Morrison]]. Another colleague was William Hodding Carter, I, of Hammond in Tangipahoa Parish, whose namesake son and grandson became influential [[journalist]]s. Still another House member at the time was future state Agriculture Commissioner [[Dave L. Pearce]] of West Carroll Parish.<ref name=house/>
-Watson was appointed to the Louisiana State Democratic Central Committee in 1940 and served on the panel for the following twenty-six years. He was vice-chairman from 1960 to 1964 and chairman for eight years from 1968 to 1976. He was a delegate to the 1968 [[Democratic National Convention]] in [[Chicago]].<ref name=bio/> With the support of [[conservative]] leader [[Leander Perez]] of Plaquemines Parish, Watson succeeded the more [[liberal]] Edward Moss Carmouche, Sr. (1921-1990).<ref>"Showdown Set Today on Loyalists, Conservatives," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' December 28, 1967, p. 1.</ref> a lawyer from Lake Charles as the committee chairman. Carmouche had been elected in December 1967, when Crawford Hugh "Sammy" Downs (1911-1985) of [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], a former state senator, resigned the post. In that fight the conservative Democrats had been led by W. L. "Jack" Howard (1921-2004), then the mayor of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]].<ref>''Biloxi Daily Herald,'' December 24, 1966, p. 14.</ref>
+Watson was appointed to the Louisiana State Democratic Central Committee in 1940 and served on the panel for the following twenty-six years. He was vice-chairman from 1960 to 1964 and chairman for eight years from 1968 to 1976. He was a delegate to the 1968 [[Democratic National Convention]] in [[Chicago]].<ref name=bio/> With the support of racist, antisemitic segregationist leader [[Leander Perez]] of Plaquemines Parish, Watson succeeded the more [[liberal]] Edward Moss Carmouche, Sr. (1921-1990).<ref>"Showdown Set Today on Loyalists, Conservatives," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' December 28, 1967, p. 1.</ref> a lawyer from Lake Charles as the committee chairman. Carmouche had been elected in December 1967, when Crawford Hugh "Sammy" Downs (1911-1985) of [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], a former state senator, resigned the post. In that fight the conservative Democrats had been led by W. L. "Jack" Howard (1921-2004), then the mayor of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]].<ref>''Biloxi Daily Herald,'' December 24, 1966, p. 14.</ref>
 During Watson's chairmanship, Louisiana voters rejected the Democratic presidential nominee, [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] [[Hubert Humphrey]], a former student at [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]]. Instead, the state supported former Governor [[George Wallace]] of [[Alabama]], running on his temporary American Independent Party ticket.

@@ Line 46: / Line 46: @@
 Though Natchitoches Parish is a neighbor to the Long stronghold of Winn Parish, Watson was identified with anti-Long elements within the state's dominant Democratic Party. Two of Watson's House colleagues who later make unsuccessful races for [[governor]] were [[Bill Dodd|William J. "Bill" Dodd]], then of Allen Parish, and future New Orleans [[Mayor]] [[Chep Morrison]]. Another colleague was William Hodding Carter, I, of Hammond in Tangipahoa Parish, whose namesake son and grandson became influential [[journalist]]s. Still another House member at the time was future state Agriculture Commissioner [[Dave L. Pearce]] of West Carroll Parish.<ref name=house/>
-Watson was appointed to the Louisiana State Democratic Central Committee in 1940 and served on the panel for the following twenty-six years. He was vice-chairman from 1960 to 1964 and chairman for eight years from 1968 to 1976. He was a delegate to the 1968 [[Democratic National Convention]] in [[Chicago]].<ref name=bio/> With the support of [[conservative]] leader [[Leander Perez]] of Plaquemines Parish, Watson succeeded the more [[liberal]] Edward Moss Carmouche, Sr. (1921-1990).<ref>"Showdown Set Today on Loyalists, Conservatives," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' December 28, 1967, p. 1.</ref> a lawyer from Lake Charles as the committee chairman. Carmouche had been elected in December 1967, when Crawford Hugh "Sammy" Downs of [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], a former state senator, resigned the post. In that fight the conservative Democrats had been led by W. L. "Jack" Howard (1921-2004), then the mayor of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]].<ref>''Biloxi Daily Herald,'' December 24, 1966, p. 14.</ref>
+Watson was appointed to the Louisiana State Democratic Central Committee in 1940 and served on the panel for the following twenty-six years. He was vice-chairman from 1960 to 1964 and chairman for eight years from 1968 to 1976. He was a delegate to the 1968 [[Democratic National Convention]] in [[Chicago]].<ref name=bio/> With the support of [[conservative]] leader [[Leander Perez]] of Plaquemines Parish, Watson succeeded the more [[liberal]] Edward Moss Carmouche, Sr. (1921-1990).<ref>"Showdown Set Today on Loyalists, Conservatives," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' December 28, 1967, p. 1.</ref> a lawyer from Lake Charles as the committee chairman. Carmouche had been elected in December 1967, when Crawford Hugh "Sammy" Downs (1911-1985) of [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], a former state senator, resigned the post. In that fight the conservative Democrats had been led by W. L. "Jack" Howard (1921-2004), then the mayor of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]].<ref>''Biloxi Daily Herald,'' December 24, 1966, p. 14.</ref>
 During Watson's chairmanship, Louisiana voters rejected the Democratic presidential nominee, [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] [[Hubert Humphrey]], a former student at [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]]. Instead, the state supported former Governor [[George Wallace]] of [[Alabama]], running on his temporary American Independent Party ticket.

@@ Line 52: / Line 52: @@
 ===1972 events===
-In 1972, Watson was party chairman during an intense fight by the conservative faction led by the colorful attorney [[Captan Jack Wyly]] of Lake Providence in East Carroll Parish, and the nationalist wing of the party, represented  by Leon Irwin, III (died 2006), of New Orleans for the position of national committeeman, which was vacated after eight years by J. Marshall Brown of New Orleans. Irwin, who carried the support of Governor-elect [[Edwin Edwards]], [[Mayor]] [[Maurice Edwin Landrieu|Moon Landrieu]], and [[AFL-CIO]] President [[Victor Bussie]], defeated Wyly, 69-50, in balloting by the Democratic State Central Committee. Wyly's forces won only in North Louisiana and the Florida parishes.<ref>"Irwin Is Named Louisiana Democratic Committeeman", ''Minden Press-Herald'', February 20, 1972, p. 1</ref>
+In 1972, Watson was party chairman during an intense fight by the conservative faction led by the colorful attorney [[Captan Jack Wyly]] of Lake Providence in East Carroll Parish, and the nationalist wing of the party, represented  by Leon Irwin, III (died 2006), of New Orleans for the position of national committeeman, which was vacated after eight years by J. Marshall Brown of New Orleans. Irwin, who carried the support of Governor-elect [[Edwin Edwards]], [[Mayor]] [[Maurice Edwin Landrieu|Moon Landrieu]], and [[AFL-CIO]] President [[Victor Bussie]], defeated Wyly, 69–50, in balloting by the Democratic State Central Committee. Wyly's forces won only in North Louisiana and the Florida parishes.<ref>"Irwin Is Named Louisiana Democratic Committeeman", ''Minden Press-Herald'', February 20, 1972, p. 1</ref>
 In the summer of 1972, party chairman Watson issued a wrong opinion when [[U.S. Senator]] [[Allen J. Ellender]] of Houma in Terrebonne Parish died in office amid a Democratic primary campaign for reelection to a seventh term. Watson first said that the primary filing period must be reopened so that other candidates might enter. Ellender had only one serious challenger, former state senator and former gubernatorial candidate [[J. Bennett Johnston, Jr.]], of [[Shreveport]]. As a result, unable to file as a Democrat, former Governor [[John J. McKeithen]] of Columbia in Caldwell Parish unsuccessfully sought Ellender's seat in the [[general election]] as an [[Independent voter|Independent]] against the victorious Johnston and the defeated [[Republican Party|Republican]] choice, [[Ben C. Toledano]], a former candidate for mayor of New Orleans. In a general election, the party leadership may replace a nominee who dies, but there is no provision for reopening primary filings if any candidate, whether the incumbent or not, dies during the campaign cycle.<ref>''Minden Press-Herald,'' August 2, 1972, p. 1.</ref>

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 |term_start=1940
 |term_end=1944
 |preceded=[[W. Peyton Cunningham]]
 Leon Friedman (two members)
 |succeeded=[[Sylvan Friedman]]

@@ Line 62: / Line 62: @@
 Watson was active for some three decades in various drainage districts, including the Cane River Levee and Drainage District. He was the principal force behind the protection of Natchitoches Parish from the devastation caused by periodic flooding of the Cane River and its dominant stream, the Red River.<ref name=bio/>
-A businessman and philanthropist, Watson was involved in various aspects of the heritage of Louisiana. He worked to support the Caroline Dormon Nature Preserve in Natchitoches Parish, named for Caroline Dormon, a naturalist and an historical preservationist. He served on the Melrose Commission, which oversaw the restoration of a plantation founded in the colonial era by a family of freed slaves. He helped to secure National Historic Landmark designation for the site in 1975.<ref name=bio/>
+A businessman and philanthropist, Watson was involved in various aspects of the heritage of Louisiana. He worked to support the Caroline Dormon Nature Preserve in Natchitoches Parish, named for [[Caroline Dormon]], a naturalist and an historical preservationist. He served on the Melrose Commission, which oversaw the restoration of a plantation founded in the colonial era by a family of freed slaves. He helped to secure National Historic Landmark designation for the site in 1975.<ref name=bio/>
 Watson chaired the drive to construct a modern hospital in Natchitoches Parish and worked to construct new structures for St. Mary's elementary and high schools. He was an officer of several [[bank]]s and realty development firms, including the Exchange Bank and Trust Company, which was formerly headed by his father. From 1967 until his death, he was  the chairman of the Exchange Bank.<ref name=bio/>

@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 In 1940, Watson was elected to the legislature, alongside John O. Williams, for a single four-year term. In that same election cycle,  [[Sam Houston Jones]] of [[Lake Charles]] defeated [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]] for the governorship. One of his two House successors was [[Sylvan Friedman]],<ref name=house>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2020|publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=December5 7, 2019}}</ref> a [[Jewish]] [[farmer]] and large landowner in Natchez in Natchitoches Parish, who was from 1952 to 1972 a member of the state Senate.
-Though Natchitoches Parish is a neighbor to the Long stronghold of Winn Parish, Watson was identified with anti-Long elements within the state's dominant Democratic Party. Two of Watson's House colleagues who later make unsuccessful races for [[governor]] were [[Bill Dodd|William J. "Bill" Dodd]], then of Allen Parish, and future New Orleans [[Mayor]] [[Chep Morrison]]. Another colleague was William Hodding Carter, I, of Hammond in Tangipahoa Parish, whose namesake son and grandson became influential [[journalist]]s. Still another House member at the time was future state Agriculture Commissioner Dave L. Pearce of West Carroll Parish.<ref name=house/>
+Though Natchitoches Parish is a neighbor to the Long stronghold of Winn Parish, Watson was identified with anti-Long elements within the state's dominant Democratic Party. Two of Watson's House colleagues who later make unsuccessful races for [[governor]] were [[Bill Dodd|William J. "Bill" Dodd]], then of Allen Parish, and future New Orleans [[Mayor]] [[Chep Morrison]]. Another colleague was William Hodding Carter, I, of Hammond in Tangipahoa Parish, whose namesake son and grandson became influential [[journalist]]s. Still another House member at the time was future state Agriculture Commissioner [[Dave L. Pearce]] of West Carroll Parish.<ref name=house/>
 Watson was appointed to the Louisiana State Democratic Central Committee in 1940 and served on the panel for the following twenty-six years. He was vice-chairman from 1960 to 1964 and chairman for eight years from 1968 to 1976. He was a delegate to the 1968 [[Democratic National Convention]] in [[Chicago]].<ref name=bio/> With the support of [[conservative]] leader Leander Henry Perez, Sr. (1891-1969), of Plaquemines Parish, Watson succeeded the more [[liberal]] Edward Moss Carmouche, Sr. (1921-1990).<ref>"Showdown Set Today on Loyalists, Conservatives," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' December 28, 1967, p. 1.</ref> a lawyer from Lake Charles as the committee chairman. Carmouche had been elected in December 1967, when Crawford Hugh "Sammy" Downs of [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], a former state senator, resigned the post. In that fight the conservative Democrats had been led by W. L. "Jack" Howard (1921-2004), then the mayor of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]].<ref>''Biloxi Daily Herald,'' December 24, 1966, p. 14.</ref>