St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1909-04-10

9A RS1EAl lCEH3E dAA liz
rectlg. / am not Iawyerand thefs
fore am not prepared I'd discuss the
injunction. Oh shia The Times-Denlo-
crat says: st IS the first time Ne
have heard Of an injunction issued By
4 clerk Of the court forbiading al.
election ordered by the legislature.
There could be no worse precedent
established than elections can be pre-
vented on exparte hearings. IL il
altogether without excuse ii a case
like this St. Landry one, where every
point involved can BE- passed On by
the courts iii ample time without IN
terfering with the right Of the people
to vote ca the issue before them
4 honestly believe that the Supreme
Court viii dismiss the injunction and
that the election will 90 on, SO the
time has come when every individual
must decide for himself whether be.
will vote for or against division. Let
US discuss it in q kind and friendly
spirit and let us remember too that
there is such a thing as an honest
difference of opinion. Twas born and
raised in the proposed new parish and
an now living Id what will remain ST.
Landry and I must say that after
having studied this question as thor
oughlY as / could, have come to the
conclusion that / viii cast my vote
for division; / will do so for one pur-
pose solely-to help Western St.
Landry and its people morally, III
teIlectually and financially and I
claim that we cannot develop that
part of our parish SO close til us with
ons ~benefting our section. There
win be no Chinese wall between as,
only an imaginary line. ! believe
that the d~iYisioHis6s demand III rea-
sonable and iust-they are our rela-
tiyes and friends, therefore let as
look at the question from q broad
standpoint and give it til them.
Some claim that Division will mean
increased taxation don't believe It.
10 begin with, we cannot measure
the progress Of a people ID dollars
and cents only. You might as we'll
tell me that it does not pay to edn-
cate our children because We could
compel them to stay at home and
work. You might as well tell me
that the @. g. Railroad should not
run through Port Barre, Ghnrchpoint
and 0~peIousas because the people Of
Port Barre and Churchpoint have
stopped going 10 0pelousas By team.
to haul their produce and get their
freight. Now as to the political
prestige Of ST. Landry; possibly Divi
sion viii interfere with the ambition
Of q few but that is not the question;
we must consider what will do the
most good to the most people. e
Democratic government is to be sue
eessful it's final purpose must be the
u~pbuiIding of character among tbs
masses who work and pay tie taxes
The Times-Demoerat Ihe Peoples
Champion called our attention TO
parish division before the meeting Of
our last Legislature and said ii part:
IN all the ~neighboring states When
ever public convenience ii sahserved
BY q division 0f D county or by a new
county created out of portions Of
several old ones not the slightest
difficulty Isl encountered, and proba-
bly, two hundred new counties have.
been created IN The South while.
Louisiana was creating one, Acadia
and that with difficulty and only after
the most strenuous exertions.
During that period the population
of Louisiana has doubled, the in
crease being very unequaly iiss
ted throughout the State, until the
inequality in size, population, wealth
and business ID greater than any
where else ID America. This refusal.
TO make q change IS as obstinate and
as injurious "a the fight against the
reform bill III England and brings
about inequality Of representation
and loss to the people. e is bene
fetal only to the ofleeholders and IL
is principally because of their efforts
that the system has been carried On
50 long.
Let us pause one moment and sum
up what would folloW The creation Of
q new parish in the West. Il would
mean more education, more law and
order. the enjoyment Of life. It
would mean economical government,
because the nearer the government
ii to the people The more interest
they will take iii it, and the further
the Legislative body is from the com
munity effected BY The laW, the easier
1t will be for special interests To cons
troll. It would mean more employ
ment and more revenues for the peo-
Die and for the State why ii will be-
the history De Acadia repeated
twenty-five years ago when the par
ish Of Acadia was sliced of ST. Lane
dry il was only a vast prairie over
which the sumner breezes and vim
ter winds swept uninterrupted save
BIZ d tree here and there ard The tall
prairie grass Go there today and
Won will see the prosperous towns of
ChurchDoint. I0ta, RaYne and Crowley