St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1909-02-20

lousas cannot be prevented by oppos-
ing division, the building up Of num-
erous railroads are responsible for
the business distress OF Opelousas, If
distress it is to be.
/ repeat that the west Is deeply
impressed with it's convenience and
worse needs in this matter, and has
the sweet soIace Of that knowledge
and feeling that it viii better itself
with positively no detrimental effect
upon the future prosperity nor pres
emit circumstances Of the old parish
as q body-corporate. ! believe that
our own history is the key to our
solace. Certainly the cutting off OF
the territory now constituting Acadia
parish did not tend to impoverish ST.
Landry al it remained constituted.
Older citizens tell me that The reduc-
tion of the unwieldy territory actually
marked the r-enascence Of prosperity
and progress in the matters of gov
err0ent Of tbs old parish. Some few
claim that the augmentation Of our
public funds TO run our civil govern
ment was due To the cutting off a
then ignorance-prevailing territory
where INSCRIPTIONS politicians used
dirty moneys in 4 dirty way and
maintained themselves III Office, and
that It's cutting Of necessarily worked
a salutary effect upon The politics of
our parish, and merits, rather than
profigacY commenced to prevail there
after. However that may be, st.
Landry did prosper and Acadia did
prosper; and that without raising
their taxes. ! am told that the same
present day MFR. Lewis had the same
present day ghost-story against the
proposed division Of that territory
now Acadia; that the line Of division
was UNJUST that the old parish would
Be reduced to virtual starvation and,
in addition, that Acadia's assessed
valuation was insufficient to maintain
d self-government. Think q moment
what lapse Of time the infalIable
teacher has revealed to the present
posterity Of Acadia and Sc. Landry.
Nothing less than the fact that st.
Landry received an impetus TO IN
equaled prosperity and progress as a
body-corporate. I mean unequaled
BY it's own history. Its reduced as
sessabIe territory eorrespondingy
reduced the extent Of territory 10 be
cared for with the reduced assets
and, visibly, the lack Of sufficient
funds continued TO diminish to this
day. The too vast army which taxed
the general beyond his strength and
capacity do command, became better
disciplined and more effective proper
tionateIy, man for man, when the
superduous wing was assigned
to 4 second command. and gloriously
we behold our proud sister Acadia,
once the abode Of a sparce and sinis-
ter inclined population; q country
well adapted to coW-ranehes. which
it was, and was destined to remain so
under our neglected care. Behold
what has supplanted all that vast
waste. Does Acadia maintain her
own sef-gevernment Did Acadia do
all this with d tax revenue based upon
the assessed valuation she commanded
while i vaasal Of our Grand Old Sc.
Landry? Tell me that Evangellne
will not cover herself with glory.
pride, development. advancement.
progress and prosperity; that she
will not double, TRIBE and continue To-
augment her assessment valuation
from the outset to eternity, and III
tell you that you don't know my
country and mF people
Besidds, does it not stand to reason
and sound Judgment that when the
administrative body Is planted within
q supervisory distance 10 all sections
OF Evaugeiine. that this viii serve
as d forcible and irresistible induce
meTlt 81 capitalists and moneyed men
Co make their home inhabitate and
help develop this Grand Vest with
its unlimited future, whereas under.
present circumstances and conditions