The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1886-04-17
A Frank Confession.

The editor of the Washington Argus
in II leader upon the Courthouse Ques-
tion,' in its last weeks issue, gives q
very candid and true statement of the
motives which actnate the people of
Washington in their groundIess claims
in striving to have the parish site re
moved TO that place. He says: "IFith
the people Of our torn, it Is simply q basi-
ness proposition. We beliere that by the
expenditure Of thirty thousand dollars, or
If required a larger amount, the result miil
be a Uery large return in dollars and cents
We believe 1t the most paying Investment
ace could make. We beliere a majority Of
the people Of this parish, and especially
Of The taxpayers, are ecilting, nag, anr
ioas to accept oar proposition Now
people of St. Landry, the Argus as the
mouthpiece of Washington has given
you their position in a nutshell !"
which is merely proposition TO buy the
right to the parish site. Ii will be IA
"paying investment to them in IDOL
lars and cents" which they are eager TO
make for a revivilication of their town;
while If the balance of the parish is re-
lieved OF II especial fax" for the rebuild
ing of a Courthouse, why the town of
Opelousas can surrender all of her right,
title and interest to the capital, as we'll
rs her vital prosperity to the sordid
scheme Of stock jnhbing. Bit the peo-
pie of st Landry do not propose to he
bought in this way, aud Opelousas will
not so readily yield up her just and
vested privileges to the purchase price
of 100000 or more" Feeling strong
in her finally adjudicated right to the
parish site, as things now stand, and
having confidence in the justice and
purity of the large majority who have
made Opelousas the seat of parochial
government for such a long period, she
has no real cause of alarm from the
small minority who have assailed her
title through the medium OF "dollars
and CENTS" aud by appealing to the Gu
pidity of human nature by attempting
to frighten the country people with the
cry of Especial tax However, while
Opelousas is under no just obligations
to pay fer the loss of the Court building
by fire, yet sue is generous enough 10
assume the payment nf half the cost of
new building. III order to do away
with the necessity Of levying II special
tax dp the tax payers of st. Landry, tn
rebuke the avarice of Washington, and
to give !. fiual quietns to The question:,
As we said in Il previous article On the
subiect--tile burning Of The Courthouse
did not divest Opelousas OF any rights,
nor did it create any for Washington.
Mr.. E. T. Lewis very properly and very
justly refused to promise to sfippoit M
Enabling Act before the Legislature
for the purpose of submitting this qsit-s-
ton to y"tr Of the people, unless for
titled by a petition signed by y majority
Of the voters Of the parish; because
such question: should assume the dig
nifty and strength of II memorial from
the peopI, to entitlr it TO recognition Oh
notice
No, th.. claims Of Washington ARE tod
feeble in every srhse to give il success
To say the least ef it, it wasan nngen-
erous move against Orelous III the
hour Of calamity, and has caused tln
agitation Of a subject which will do tho
origina;ors no good toantds becoming
the seat Of parocliial government, or in
making Washington an important city
in the fntute.