The Opelousas courier., 1896-01-18

No man has a right to be excused from
the duties of government. The best men
should be nominated for office, and
every office of the city should be filled
with moral, honest men. The good
citizen should be ready to sacrifice
something even if the duties of citizen
ship are irksome and distasteful. How
shall WI ever have the affairs of our OWN
city administered with any degree #
purity with the men who are at pres
ent in power continued there? l call
on all the best men in the community
to take such action at our coming cleo
ton Us shall give is the best and most
honorable and able citizens to fill all
the positions which are now disgraceG
by incompetent and untrlstworthy
officials. We need the best men in the
city for these Offices. Let us go to the
primaries and nominate them, ind then
go to the polls and elect them"
The minister's sermon made a pro-
found impression upon the people in his
WI church and throughout the city.
No was SO astonished at the result
rs he was. He was not accustomed to
having people pay sucf a strict regard
to his preaching. He had not been
looking for it.
It was not the minister's fault, either,
that he was not present at the primar-
les when they were held. He had, Of
course, fully intended to go, but he had
been detained by a wedding. A wedding
is something which cannot be put Off
even for a primary. And so the min
lister was obliged to forego that duty of
citizenship.
1t was, therefore, with the utmost
establishment that the minister opened
the morning paper and read the result
of the city primaries. We quote briefly
from the account in the paper:
Last night the city primaries were held,
and nominations were made in accordance
with the wonderful sermon of Rev. John
Smith, of the Congregational church.. which
made such a profound impression on the
community last week. Every one who went
to the primaries remembered the eloquent
appeal of the reverend gentleman TO nomi-
nate the best men in the city for all the Of
fees. We believe This has been done. All
h a is necessary now is to elect the men
who are nominated, and we shall nave the
finest city administration in this country.
We present below the names of the parties
who were nominated last night, and we call
on all good citizens to ratify his primary
at the polls.
"For Mayor, Rev. John Smith, of the
Congregational church.
For City Clerk. Bishop Brown, Of the
Episcopal church.
For Register of Deeds, Deacon William
johnson.
Police Commissioners: Prof. James
Greene, Of Cloister College, City; Rev.
George Robinson, of the Presbyterian
church: Rev. Philip Burns, of the Meth |
odist church.
For Chief Of Police, Rev. Henry J. Will |
liams, DID,, LID. President of Cloister
College.
For C~onstables: Rev. Caleb Window, of
the Baptist church.; Rev. Joshua Powers, |
DID,. of the Lutheran church; Rev. Moses
Jones. of the Christian church.
For Justice Of the Peace, Prof. Cecil |
Montague, FRS.
w print the list of Councilmen nomi- |
mated, tn another column. Not one of them
or OF the men nominated for the city offices
ever held Office before. But they are our
best citizens and in accordance with Rev. |
John Smiths sermon we feel sure thew win
the duties of office, ever IL they
should prove to be irksome and distasteful. |
The fact that these citizens have never held
office should not prejudice any voter
against them. They are fully as competent
as any of the citizens who nave held these
offices hitherto. We are proud to think
that at last we are to nave a city govern
lnent administered by the best citizens. A
municipal millennium is at hand. With
Rev.John Smith for Mayor, and President
for Chief of Police, with the other
able and honest citizens for the rest of the
we ieel sure that the reign of Doodle
and whisky and incompetency, which has
characterized our fair city for years, is at
an end. Let all good citizens rally to the
polls next week n elect the best citizens
office"
II a dynamite bomb had exploded on
he breakfast table the minister would