The Opelousas courier., 1904-06-04
Creation of New Parishes.

from Hon. Peyton (. Sandoz, one
of our Representatives, in the State
Legislature, was addressed to the
N. O. Times Democrat, and ex-
plains itself:
BATON ROUGE, La, May 30
Editor Times-Democrat, New Or
leans, La: DEAR SIR
The following paragraph from
your editorial, headed, "Creation
of New Parishes" in today's is-
sue of your paper, is so unfair
and incorrect that [ feel it imper-
ative that I, as a member of the
General Assembly of this State,
and particularly as a member of
the Committee on Parochial Af-
fairs, should refute the statements
contained therein:
mo argument was presented. pro Or con, no
shown to learn the wishes of the peoplth9f
Calcasieu. The Legislature declared, at Ar
hearing few speeches on points Of order. tn u
1t did not care at this time to even consider
the question Of a new parish :
The consideration of this ques-
tion by the 'Committee was at
tended with the earnestness and
solemnity of a case before a judi
cial tribunal, and had it not been
for the vaudeville performance
interposed by Mr. Haywood, would
have gone down in the annals of
the House as one of the most
dramatic attempts thus far made
to thrust down the throats of an
unwilling people measure which
they repudiated and abhorred.
Arguments pro and con were
plain and plentiful, and the Com
mittee gave them most careful
consideration. For almost five
hours the divisionists and anti
divisionists, through their repre-
sentatives and spokesmen, plead
their respective causes, and the
Committee on Parochial Affairs
with patience listened to the end.
For an equal period of time, at
two different meetings, the COM
mittee in executive session waded
through the lengthy petitions and
other evidence submitted by the
citizens of CaIcasieu, setting forth
the respective merits and demer-
its of the proposition. On the
third day the House devoted two
hours to hearing ga few speeches
on points Of order,'' and then,
not "unceremoniously," however,
most positively laid to rest the
infant parish of Foster which had
"died a-bornin."
The House, as had the Com
mittee, rejected the proposition
to submit the matter to vote of
the people because it was not
proposed to lay the question be-
fore the people of Calcasieu, but
only those within the lines of the
proposed parish. The fullest and
most complete investigation was
had, and every effort made to as
certain "the wishes of the people
of Calcasieu." In the minds of
the majority of the Committee
there was abundant evidence that
the citizens of Calcasieu parish,
outside of the town of Jennings,
were opposed to the measure.
The two representatives of Cal
casieu, obeying the wishes of their
constituents, opposed it; the sen.
ator from Calcasieu opposed it +;
the newspapers of Calcasieu, out.
side of Jennings, opposed it; the
towns of Welsh, Fenton, Roanoke
Lake Arthur and Oberlln opposed
it and sent petitions and delega.
tions to make known in an un'
mistakable manner their opposi
ton; the city Of Lake Charles
opposed it, and many Of the coun
try wards sent delegations to Wig
orously fight the division. The
Committee found arrayed agains>
this overpowering and unmistak
able opposition the united force
from the town of Jennings stand
ing solitary and alone for the div
ition. Under the circumstance
there was but one thing for thu
Committee to do, and that was tt
report the bill unfavorably.
There was besides grave doub
as to the constitutional right 0
the Legislature to create a ney
parish without submitting tn
question to all of the people o
the parish to be affected thereby
There are some who believe tha
Article 277 of the Constitution O
this State furnishes ample author
ity to the Legislature to create
without the consent ofothe pee
pie, a new parish. There az
, many who entertain a contrar
, opinion. 1t is not akin to Dem
ocracy to establish government
without the consent of the goN
erned, and we must repudiat
this cardinal principle of Den
) ocracy if we are to place such
5 construction upon the Constit,
} tion.
It was no hasty conclusion {
ilI-advised step that prompted tt
unfavorable report of the Con