St. Landry democrat., 1885-06-06
The Levee Governor.
Alexandria Town Talk.

ANY one reading the country papers
would suppose that an exciting canvass
vas going on. The slow movements Of
the Federal administration in the re-
moval of Republican Office holders IS
very annoying to the hungry Democrat
ic office seeker. The appointments
which have been made have not failed
to dispIease disappointed aspHants ana
their friends. Words of an unpleasant
kind are flying about thick ana VIII
probably become thicker.
The Capitolian Advocate OF last week
goes off into long eulOgy OF Governor
WcEnery's administration. It would be
strange if something had not been done
and there was not something to show
for the years he has filed the office, OF,
Governor. He was proclaimed before
tile election as the great 'Levee cover
nor.n We had most disastrous over
flows last year and though something
may have been done elsewhere, moth
ing has been done here by the State to-
wards repairing the leyees. The levees
never we're in worse condition tnan
they are in this section. We virtually
have none.
A good long strip of levee in the up
per part of town has caved into the
river. The town council applied to the
Police Jury for assistance in rebuilding
it. This was refused and tile ugly gap
| is still there and it looked the other day
as il the water was about coming
through it. There are special taxes
raised for levee purposes and by a spe-
cial law the tax money raised in this
| district must be spent in 1t. We don't
know it is but have not heard OF any
having been spent here yet.
| The big break at SlOcum's last year
was repaired by private enterprise.
Public spirited planters from BayOus
! Robert and Boeuf took labor from their
| fields and spent weeks in doing work,
which it seems to us should have been
| that of the State. These men had paid
taxes to do this very work. They prob
| ably do not expect any remuneration
nor will they ever get any for their la
Dor. The new work was washed away
last February and the big, yawning. gap
is still there. Mr.. Slocum's place all cut
up with washes and piled up with sand
has been deserted by its ruined owner.
The Wright break, down about New
Poland was repaired by private lnd1-
viduals. One landowner in that neigh
borhOod left his place in fear OF the
water and rented land on Bayou BOeuf.
We know of gentleman who under
took and performed quite heavy con-
tract below this point and has received
for it warrant payable out of the tax
es of 1888. As this fund has already
been spent, there does not seem to be
i much hope of his ever getting nythlng.
Tf the condition of the levees and the
encouragement given to the building
of them is the same i'll other parts OF
the State as it is here, there is not much
room for glOryfiying the administration
The improvements going on and the
f0urishing condition of the State we
fail to see anywhere. There may and
no doubt has been some few things
done and it could not be otherwise
These are pointed to with great salts
faction by the Governors admirers and
q great flourish made. The Tulane
!, University, a few dollars for charitable
objects and public works and a small
reduction of the public debt is not
enough to satify the people.
! We know and fully understand that
the failure Of the crops for some years
back and the consequent slow payment
in many cases nOn-payment, of taxes
{ has prevented the doing of many things
, that have had to be left undone. Pick
up any Of the papers, see the frightfuI
lists of delinquent tax payers and il
, looks as il the State was about to be
offered for sale. Ride through the
, country, see the teams, poor because
/ their owners cannot buy corn for them
the women barefooted and toiling il
: fields: in many cases no meat in the
house, aud yet the public officer getl
his same salary and is as well off as Iii
! ever was.