The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1877-06-15

cials, or the juries have been unable to
| find case where the law ought to be
enforced, although there were hun
dreds Of just such cases every year.
1t is proposed to change this way of
working roads, we understand, and to
| hold all persons subject to road duty to
faithful performance of what the law
requires of them. The.Police Jury has
taken Il stand-as individuals we know,
if not formally as q body-to follow
! resolutely the provisions and eXactions
of the law, and to test the Police Jury's
powers to compel overseers and road
hands to perform their duties. The
charge of Judge Parsons, at the recent
term of his court, was emphatic in the
same direction. Judge Parsons is a
road man, and knows practically what
can, or cannot, be done in improving
our highways, and we say unhesitat-
ingly to delinquents who may be called
before him, that they had better work
the full twelve days on the road than
be five minutes before Judge Parsons.
And we are satisfied that the juries,
composed as they will be under the
new law, of a different class of citizens
as a whole, will be not half so kindly
disposed toward individuals who
refuse to discharge their public duties
as the juries we have had heretofore,
have been. There is not good citizen
i'll the parish, upon the whole, who
will not expect salutary reformation
in respect to the roads, and will not
exact of the servants of the people
conscientious, faithful discharge of
their duties under the law. Neither
excuse henceforth, in the apathy or in
difference of the people, for not enfocc-
ing strictly the requirements of the
road laws.
But we trust these precautionary
signals to overseers and road hands
the citizen, of whatever class or calling,
will cheerfully take up his, hoe, axe
or shovel, during the approaching Pc
Rod of plantation idleness, and do the
full amount of work required of him.
Heretofore woodworking has been re-
garded as a holiday, when yarns are to
be spun, jokes cracked, whisky i'm
bibed and occasional rows INDUCED. 1t
is we'll, and best, to be cheerful, but
the work to be done now is very great
and is Il serious, earnest undertaking.
The "stitch in tiIne'' has not been
taken, as it should have been, and the
result follows of a large extra amount
of work which must be done.
Overseers will find their allotment of
hands and sections of roads in to-day's
paper, and by an ordinance of the
Police Jury the Clerk of that body will
furnish to each overseer a copy of this
issue, which, by the same ordinance, is
made his commission and authority to
act. Overseers, we think, will do well
to lay their plans at once for the work
before them-consult with their neigh
bors, examine the roads, confer with
each other, and determine the best
means and time for working each his
own portion of the roads. And let the
work be thorongh-nO Swimming along
at the rate of five miles Il day, II brush
little dirt thrown into a yawning mud
hole in another place but let the idea
control, that the road is every mans
highway to and from his own thres-
hold, and as such he has a personal,
direct interest, as he should have a
So,
but public convenience at all times
for himself, his friends and even the
stranger whom necessity. or pleasure
calls to pass his way.
4 SUCCESSFUL OPERATION.