The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1895-11-23
For the State Senate.

ahu CHARACTER as our representatives il
the Legislature. Men of the same class
though not necessarily of the same hiol
ofoef OF ability, should be selected fo
iollce Jurors, who, for the first tim,
since 1876, are to be elected next Apri
oy tue people. Special care should bt
exercised IN making the selection of can
dlaates tor these offices; and il is indeed
fortunate thing that our people are a
'hosI unanimously IN favor of the pri-
mary plan, for by this means the selcc.
ton IN each ward of the best man for tn,
position may be hoped for with some de.
gree OF confidence. Good men, men
WIN something more iiian u political
pun, shonld lo pl "c,l before the vo-
tefs uf each ward, and then wuuld come
tne survival OF the iitiest-oi, rather
thls should come, and with it il first class
pafociIlal government, il the \. iite ,,eu
PIE are qualified 70 property exercise the
Ihestimahle privilege Of self govern.
ment.
But we started ont to- day to write Of
the selection OF IA candidate OF candl-
uates lof The Senate-the upper house of
.he otate Legislature. In casting about
10 ma suitable candidates for these Eieh
Offices we naturally thought of our tai
ented townsman, Hon. G.. l.. Dup,e, who
served with distinction one term ia the
| douse oil Representatives, (1SS8- 1899
| anu was Il candidate for Reelection four
years ago. HE condition Of affairs DO
iitical ht thai time WAS such that Ill
though cobtesst,iy the aiesi man in
The held a:s.a the one who would have
made the best ana most useful ltp,eStn-
tattVe, lie was defeated. atld-uwI,lg 10
utf isinn anon. the uiiiits-t eb,rc.t
man, an absniii;c nunentitS, Il inele leg
's'atiVe hionstrnslty, Slipped IN. Cun,;l-
IONS nave changed here since then, how
ever. Facti"Dal feeling has in !. great
degree subsidized, nHtE we t,ust that oar
people VIII select their cats,iis!at.s for
ia"inaheiS, hui with ,,-i~stii.:s. 10 tt:.,.
factinnal affiliations. ht;. nlIh s,-i,TYnce
10 thelf c"mpet.nrS. their iHir.l!iy a.,d
their ability In be of >uluc srivitt to
their constituency. H"ncc we make
bold to suggest to them the name uf Mr.
Dupre. And to show that we do not
place too high an estimate on our
friends abilities, we will quote what
that competent critic, the N. O. States,
said OF him when he represented this
parish in the House. Said the States:
Mr.. Dupre has been the author of
many good bills during the present Leg
ls'ature, and is generally regarded as
one OF the most earnest and paiustaking
members from the county, both in com
mIttee work and in legislation upon the
floor of the House. As a lawyer and a
statesman Mr.. Dupre has made his
mark" &c.
And the N. 0. Delta, wl,icI, could say
no good of those who opposed its views,
said of his speech on the Lottery bill
that it was the only one which was te-
ally entitled to the dignity OF IL speech"
" As display of Oratory," it added, e" it
was probably us good rs could be pro-
duced upon such an unworthy subject"
A gentleman who would make IA wur-
thy running mate for MIR. Dupre is our
valued fellow citizen, DR.. Y. X. Irion. |
Young, able, courageous and public
spirited, familiar with public questions |
and the needs of the community an' { |
the State, he too is well equipped to re
present this great district III our legisIa-
tive halls in an effective and creditabIe |
manner. Our interests in the hands of
such men would be safe. They possess
the ability and the grit to assert and en-
force our claims to any great public ben
Eft that may be within reach or to de-
fend our local rights or interests if
attacked. Men of their stamp, given
such field to operate liz, would prove
4 boon and blessing, not only to their
immediate constituency but to tho entire
State. Can we not select such men for
both houses, and give them to under
stand that they are chosen not because
If any factional predictions they may
possess but because our parish needs the
services of its best and ab!est sonsg
Place the matter before them in that
shape and they cannot refuse to- accept.
1t any gentlemen who have given this
natter any thought have any candidates
% suggest for these positions We would
30 glad to hear from them. If any sucI,
approve of the ideas and suggestions
lerein set forth we beg them to say so.
We are heartily tired OF seeing st. Ian
Try represented at Baton Rouge by sec
md or third-c!ass men, and We hope
hat discussion OF the matter will
,ring about a change for the better.
Let US have it.