St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1886-06-05
Communicated.
Our COuMtry's General Debility

!
Our COuMtry's General Debility.
WEST MELVILLE, La, April 26, 1886.
Editor ST. LANDRY DEMOCRAT
For the past three decades this State
| (LOuisiana) seems to be IL "child OF
misfortune. Trodden by the mandera-
ders Of war and oppression and nearly
every year by water. This destroyer
visits the most desirable and wealthy
portions of the State, and leaves to the
mercy OF the tropical vine and shrub
berry millions OF acres of the richest
land that can be produced on the Cont
1t would take long and lengthy detail
to give persons not acquainted the vast
wealth at the mercies Of the waters of
the Mississippi and its tributaries,
which could by judicious means be
prevented and give homes to thousands
who to-day are pennyless and add thou
sands in wealth to the State and sener-
al government.
/ Years ago, persons will say, we were
not troubled by oyertlows and we had
no levees to- amount to anything, we
dram just as much water now as then.
That can be admitted, but the drainage
was not so sudden. All our northern
country is principally tile drained and
consequently what used to take IL week
! to drain, now does the work in "A hours
| The Mississippi and its feeders are sim
liar to taking Il three inch trough and
| putting six one inch troughs in the end
and pour wafer through them slowly so
that each one will have about half inch
of water or about half full and the large
one will carry it off. But ill each one
or rush the water. into them and the
| low Of N
but overflow. Thus it is with the Mis-
sissippi. Instead of making more room
for the water to depart. To my mind it
is detarded by levees, &c. Natural
| channels should be 'opened and let the
water take It's own course as general
| thing.
In some cases in this country it is
beneficial to help the water keep its
natural bed and frequently causes
vast saving to cultivated territory.
Where the streams cause new outlets
and leave their natural bed the ground
is of poor substance and mixed with
quick sands. Therefore it is very hard
to create a permanent fixture to prevent
the water from washing. There are
abundance OF appropriations made eve
ry year for the maintenance of these
places But there is too much red
tape. connected with it. First, there
will be committee appointed, then the
United States engineers and then pre-
partitions to go to work. By the time
they are ready for work the appropria-
ton is eaten up and no one knows
where it is gone to and nothing to show
for it. have all due respect for the
military engineers and committees. But
[ think it best to have mixed in these
iyhn fa,,ilin
with the country water and its actions.
We have millions of surplus money
belonging to the general government,
and plenty OF persons in Congress who
figure daily on committees and com
missions or schemes to get away with it,
and do the country no good. For in
stance the civil service Commission,
the grandest farce that was ever insti-
tuted, and several other commissions to
get away with public funds. We have
one at work now investigating the la
Dor troubles.
Not many years since wherever our
flag floated, and in whatever cline it
blew to the breeze, it was honored as
the emblem OF the free
Thousands of poor and prosecuted
forked to our shores to get d home and
become free to exercise his actiohs and
speech side by side with the greatest.
Why the change Z Some say its free
trade, our manufactures and products
are not properly protected. Others will
say its over production, others say it is
hording of millions by corporations. !
Let us see. Nearly all the millionaires |
and large corporations have from 1000
to 1000 people employed. This is doing |
good. If they command it they make
use of it for the benefit of the people. |
The cotton planters say they can't get |
anything for cotton on account OF over
production, same in regard to all
branches of industry. How is the gen.
eral government. Our navy, alb, me
what a noble picture of vessels we see
as we scan the surface of the waters.
How many, one, two, three, four, five,
six, seven, eight, nine, ten-ah that is |
all, and old things at that, some with |
mast gone, some with no paint, all |
washed off with age. Where is all the |
money expended in the last decade or
two for this department. No one knows
it has done no good to the laboring |
class. One good shot from one of
Krupp's guns would demolish the
whele navy. Where are our forts to
protect our cities on the coasts2 1t a |
foe saw fit to invade US? Four or five |
little rock piles. Switzerland could |
send two or three old wash women in
tubs and with thin battle sticks knock
the whole thing over. am inclined to
believe our general government is more
to blame for our general misfortune
than general individuals. We have
1900, 900, 600 lying horded away which if |
expended would prove Beneficial to the
country in every respec. build our
coast fertilization. Why we need none
WHY NOT. If | was going to huY a farm