The Opelousas courier., 1903-06-13
A Remarkable Address.

Sambola Jones, President Of the
Louisiana Press Association, at
its recent meeting in New Or
leans, was remarkable for other
reasons besides the fact that it
was clothed in graceful language
and adorned with that forceful
eloquence which forms Que of the
chiefest charms of oratory. In it
the able editor of the Baton
Rouge Advocate touched upon a
number of reforms which for
months and years he has fear
lessly advocated in the columns
of his paper. He did not touch
upon half of them, however, for
he belongs to that unfortunately
too small class that some poor,
benighted souls denominate "med-
dlesome busybodies," and that,
per contra, DR.. Alderman, of Tu~
lane, in his address to the Louis
lana and Mississippi editors last
week described as true patriots;
that class who are constantly on
the lookout for opportunities TO
benefit their fellow-creatures in
town and parish and State, and,
having found such opportunities.
however trivial, boldly embrace
them, frequently at the risk of
incurring the ill-will of the un-
thinking rabble one of those
men, in short, who truly loves his
country, and, as DR.. Alderman
aptly put it, ''wants TO spend his
life in helping it to be better
country
We have room for only brief
extract from this admirable ad-
dress and Il still hriefer comment
thereon from the Donaldsonville
Times. Col. Jones said:
"To my mind, the first and
greatest work that lies before the
Southern press is to instil in the
hearts and minds of It's readers,
and to educate its people to a
fuller and more absolute recogni-
ton of the rule Of law and the
inviolabi!ity and sanctity Of human
life.
''It is my firm belief that no
matter how rich OF fair and beau
tiful is this land OF ours, until we
can instiI into the hearts of the
people, and impress upon tn" pub
lie mind and conscience that crime
and especially murder-ls crime
and murder, horrible, detestable
and vile, and that he who commits
it, regardless of family condition.,
station, association, power, wealth,
influence or standing shall suffer
its consequences, this land will be
forever cursed and blighted. The
inculcation of these sentiments,
the teaching of these lessons, the
establishment of this policy, is the
first and great mission before this
Southern press.
TheTimes comments as follows
"The address of Col. Jones was
magnificent piece of oratory.
His plea for the crushing Of law
lessness and q just, fair and i'm
partial enforcement of the laws
of the State was sound, able anc
timely, and will doubtless be pro
ductive of much good. It will
call the attention of the officer:
to the shameless way in which the
laws are at, times violated; it viii
put the people to thinking and il
time they will come to realize tina
they can do much toward allayine
prejudice and hatred, and can as
sist materially in putting an enc
to the undesirable condition
which have already existed to-
long. Col. Jones is not only
fine orator, but he is deel
thinker, lover of justice AM
| fair play; an excellant man and
good citizen, with the manhoo'
and nerve to express his convic
tions and stand up for them, n
matter who may disagree with hin
and oppose them. We need NOR
like him."