The Opelousas courier., 1886-04-10

The Court House Question.

Our Washington frieuds have their
frem us and rebuilding it 1T Washing
ton. Whilst Washington cannot be in
jured by rebuilding the Court House
here, tht effect wauld be greatly to in
.iufe 0pelousas by transferring the seat
of justice to Washington. The effect
would be to ruin many of our citizeus,
who by life time Of toll and economy
have succeeded in building up comfort
able homes here, which they would be
compelled ta abandon were the Court
House removed to Washington, and GO
to work and build up new homes there.
No one is more rejoiced to see the pros
perity Of Washington than the writer !;
but then, he thinks, to increase that
prosperity by destroying our town is
certainly--to say the least of it-not
neishborly. 1t is not following the
golden rule: . Do unto others as ye
would have them do unto youn
But will Washington ever get the
Court House? We say no. The ae-
tion of the people Of Opelousas, as man
ifested in the last week, shows that they
are awake and determined to put up a
fght on this question to the bitter end,
and that they have gone in to win re
gardless of costs or consequences.
Though we represent only one-twenty
fifth Of the population of st. Landry,
we have already taken steps which in
a very short time will place about ten
thousand dollars III the parish treasury,
to be used in rebuilding the Court
House, which is for the common ben
eft OF all the people of st. Landry.
This will certainly be half enough to
erect splendid Court House. such an
one as we have never possessed before,
aud one which will he an ornament to
our town, and of which the people of
our patlsl. may we'll be proud. With
this generous contribution from Opel
ousas, the Court House can and will be
rebuilt without any additional tax on
the people. This cry of a special tag
We know is the araw head and bloody
bones thut interested parties are try
ing to raise in different parts of the
parish amongst the taxpayers. The
very parties who are trying to raise
this seHseless howl are not in earnest.
They know better. They know it is a
mere igais Jatuus Of their own disorder
ed imagination These very parties
know that nHf parish Jail, which cost
SI2.50O, was built tin 1889 wSthout the
levy af one dollars additional tax.
They know, fon, that the town of Opel
onsas did not contribute one dollar te
build the jail, and they know equally
as well that towards the rebuilding o.
the Court House her people are ready
to contribute $4,000. With this con,
tribntion BY 0pelousas, it will take lesi
to rebuild the Court House than it die
to build the jail. Hence, where the ne
cessfty of Ievying a special tax LIE
some of these e anti 0pelousas, specia
tax howlers answer this, or let then
forever keep their peace.
But lay these considerations aside
and yet, should the question of remova
Of the Court House from 0pelousas t
Washington ever be submitted to !;
popular vote, an immense majority o
votes will be east against removal
To demonstrate this it Is onl.
necessary To recnr to the y0t
cast III ST. Landry at the elec
ton in April, 1854. The returns Of tina
election show that an Overwhelming
majority of the votes of tho parish com
from the OpeIoasas ward, and from tll
wards and polling places west an
southwest of 0pelousas, and whicl
polling places are much nearer the sea
of Justice at Opelonsas than thss wotl
be ii 1T were removed to Washington
/ Ia other words. 0pelouaas is not onl
geographically nearer the centre OF ter
j Titory Of the parish than Washington
bat is .searer also the centre of popula
ton Such being ahe case, our neigh
Bs,rs III Washington ought 70 quit thI
useless agitation aud let the Coui
!. House alone where nature destined
10 be, III the centre IF the territory I
| well as the population of our parlsl
The onls thing that can result frol
this agitation of the question of renov
ii, is to- ipjnre the taxpayers OF Ope
oilsas without any resultant benefit
| Washington: because the Court Houi
, will be rebuilt on the very foundatie
of the old building, and that too, b
fore the ides of October next Y.
I OPELoUsAs, April 5, 1886.
!, large committee, composed of min