St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1910-05-07

) must be conceded that manY Of them
: would Be condemned as unWise BY the
bench and bar of the State. The
members Of the bar are to d verV
considerable extent opposed to the
proposed revision Of our civil and
j criminal laws, as was plainly demon
fstrated BY the many outspoken ax-
pressions Of lawyers from every part
of the State that attended The.
Alexandria convention, and while
/, the bar association at its approaching
meeting at Baton Rouge may be ex-
pected to pronounce strongly against
I the sweeping changes proposed, still
II you gentlemen of the press should BIZ
!, prompt editorial utterances given ont
4 in behalf Of the people warn your
senators and members of the house
against any hasty step approving the
! proposed changes in our law. Urge
upon the legislature The duty of de-
! ferring all action upon the new codes
] until a full and fair opportunity shall
{ have been given 10 the press, the
! bench, the bar and the people to ex-
! anime into the matter and TO probe
to the bottom the expediency and
4 wisdom Of every one of the proposed
fchanges. TO do this fully two years
time should elapse before the ques-
tion Of the adoption Of these codes IS
seriously taken up BY the legislature.
And you, gentlemen of the Press,
4 will perform 3 great service to the
people, if yon viii bring to bear your
powerful influence upon the legisla-
tare TO postpone for the present all
consideration Of this important qaes-
tion.
Consider If you please that there
IFS but one political party III the State
i Eof Louisiana. Itdominates supremely
the politics of the State, including
the nomination and election Of men-
bers of the legislature and senate
and all state paroehial Offices, SO
completely that there. Is not within
4 the entire territory Of the State
] solitary official that doee not belong
! To that party And Jet this great
party organization has ao platform,
NO principals. it has no tongue and
! no voice nor any channel through
4 which 1T can communicate with the
4 people. Il is d soullass corporation,
the chief ard only purpose of which
seems to be to confer office upon its
i followers and favoritea. The former
hcustom of expressing the opinions
and wishes Of the democracy through
conventions and mass meetings no
longer prevails; and now the voters
4 give to their Senators and Legislators
a rowing commission to vote as they
choose and allow the officials Of our
state government perfect freedom to
adopt any course they please upon all
public questions. The political or
! ganization that dominates the State
of Louisiana ID like ship at sea,
ruthless and without chart OF captain.
.Ea derelict floating with wind anl
tide. Do not mistake me, I rnysei
am member Of the great politic,sl
party which am criticising. Ii h#s
II q glorious history, and has done MOI
fumental work as the servant Of tile
people. I have followed it's varying
fortunes though good and evil report
since attaining my majority fifty-two
years ago. and am in the position of
a man that has no ambition to hold
Office, NO occasion to feel or express
political disappointment nor desire to
Aatter. It is the privilege Of a man
who has past three score years and
i ten to reprove and to exhort. fur
only hope is in the press of the State
to brine about a betterment of poll
tical conditions, to make our local
1 q vernment more representative Of
/ the interests Of the people and more
responsive to their opinions. Gentle
men of the press association, allow
me to say that you have great op-
portuniby and that your duty Is com
nensurate with that opportunity.
The great metropolitan Journals are
business concerns and are more Or less
hampered by business environments
/ They reach the people mainly ii
] the towns and upon thoroughfares;
while the country newspaper, week
after week, invadas the homes Of the
| people. It's iafuence, therefore.
Ought to be and, when rightfdlly ex-
Ierted, is all powerful FOR good.
Righteousness exalteth d nation, and
the country press can bring about
9 new and better day in Louisiana,
EbY the inculcation Of sentiment. of
civic virtue, of official duty. and
Iof fidelity to every public trust. You
can Tiff our beloved State to plane
tof moral and material pre-eminence,
which these Southern commemorative
are destined to obtain III the near
future, as sovereign competent parts
Iof the great American Union; 81
THAT when Louisiana comes 10 take
her place ID the front rank of Tie
sisterhood Of states and the credit
and the honor for that glorious
achievement bestowed, they will be
kasfayrod hv aa,ov,o,y,s .@..s,.e..