The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1906-12-15
The Lafourehe Lock An Urgent
Necessity.

1
fourche dam at Don aldsonyilles should
be replaced with lock as soon az
possible has been developed by thu
| forces OF nature. The bayou is being
transformed from a freshwater stream
into a saltwater canal, and the people
| of the lower valley, most of whom
were supposed to be either indifferen
or opposed to the removal Of the dam
are now becoming even more insisten1
on the subject, if possible, than Their
neighbors OF the upper part of the sec.
tion braversed by the LafOurche.
This phase Of the question has been
brought into prominence through the
newspaper discussion engendered by
the rem arkable contention Of the her
vile South and West Baton Rouge
Sugar Planter that the Atchafalaya
and Lafourche levee boards would be
justified in ignoring the obligation
imposed upon them by their own vol
untary pledge to the federal govern
ment and by the specific direction and
command of the general assembly to
replace the dam with a lock. The her
vile paper recently remarked that the
Lafourche Comet, after virtually
agreeing with the South, underwent a
sudden change Of heart and came TO
the conclusion that the locks are a
necessity. "If that be the case, "says
the South, 'swhy not let us get to-
gether and try to get the national
government to build them just as it is
doing at Plaquemine? The general
government can do the job better,
doubtless, than the levee boards, and
without the danger of bankrupting it
self and causing a vast deal of prop
erty to be placed 10 danger of mad
equate protection against foods.
Would or would it not be shameful
for these levee boards to bankrupt
themselves and place ia danger thou
sands and thousands of people and Q
million dollars of property2''
TO this the Comet replies: sWe
based our opinion regarding the Iber-
vile South and the question OF locks
upon the South's declaration that
nine-tenths of the people of the two
levee districts concerned we're satisfied
with existing conditions. We find,
however, that the South was wrong in
its assertion, for it seems that nine
tenths OF the people desire locks.
There is only one reason for this, how
ever, and that is owing TO the saline
condition of the water In the bayou.
All admit, since salt water has backed
up, from the gulf, that locks are abso-
lute1y necessary. II it we're not for
the salty and damaging condition Of
the water in the bayou, and If nine
tenths OF the people were satisfied
without locks, we would still declare
it would be a useless expense TO have
locks. Regarding the proposition that
the national government take charge
OF the locks, We have no objection
whatever. Such a course would UNI
doubtedly relieve the levee boards Of
a great financial burden, but judging
by the length of time taken to build
the Plaquemine locks there is no tell
ing when ours would be constructed. n
It cannot be admitted that the trans
form alton of the bayou into COM
paratively useless saltwater canal is
the only reason for the strong and
increasing popular demand for the
construction of the Lafourche lock. It
is one reason and a very good one, to
be sure, but there is another equally
potent and insurmountable, based
upon public morality and the inviola-
biliby of contracts It involves the
individual honor OF the members OF
the levee boards as well as their pub
lie characters and obligations.
Better by far that these boards
should bankrupt themselves" fnan-
cially Ia the effort to carry out their
agreement and perform their official
duty, than TO incur the moral bank
ruptcy that must follow the deliberate
attempt TO repudiate the agreement,
and evade the duty
1T will be time enough to invoke the
assistance of the FEDERAL government
IN the construction Of the Lafourche
lock after the levee boards have shown
their good faith in the matter by maxi
ing start at the work. Ii it then
appears that the task is greater than
had been anticipated and that its
accomplishment within a reasonable
time must depend upon the willingness
OF the general government to come to
the rescue, it is quite probable that
congress will authorize such action.
Providence helps those whoshelp them
selves, and it is not reasonable TO ex-
pect Uncle Sam to do more than that
Isn't a Reduction in Orderg
"A reduction of the exOrhitant rates