The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1910-12-10
OUR REPRESENTATIVE.

eIce or convention il should he ;
sacred trust. IT VAS At ono time
regarded as such. Aud when. II
times gone by, the accredited deli
gate found that the d, manda 81
the people ho represented were in
consistent with his own We've
upon any question, honor has
prompted hIs resignation. witt
he changing ilmca and customs
Of This modern age II seems thai
the duties ana responsibilities Of !;
Representatives OF he people ar.
materially changing also. Tu.day
instead of clrcting i servant 10 a.,
their bidding. they practically
4 choose ~ master on keeper. who il
privileged to handle their intrrps I
without giving ear 10 those nj
home ! his has been too often
I the case III recent history.
There is another condition which
has come np often enough ~ SHOW
] the need Of some Legislation cal.
culatcd 10 cheek a posNlble evil.
II a police nror removes his DOM
clle from the parish plI"r To The
expiration of his term of office by
the mere fact uf such removal Nv
has terminated his office holding
~ such police juror. There il no
fault 10 find with such law
save possibly IN the fact that it
does not go far enough If such a law
il found good and needed in con
trolling the official who serves
only Ward Of the parish, and
must render that service within
the confines of the parish, it would
seem that the same law should bc
extended tar enough 10 affect par :
ish officers who must render their
official service entirely outside Of
the parish which service il AZ
tended with greater responsible
ties and graver consequences, pos
sibIy.
A few years ago Mr.. Harvey
Todd moved to this parish while
he was serving ~ a representative
in the State Legislature the par
ish Of Polnte Conpee From here
he went to Baton Rouge to attend
session A little later he moved
his home 10 Jefferson parish, from
which point he served out the
term Of his office.
DR. Robt r. Derouen was elect
ed 10y the people OF this parish
their State Representative. Short
~ after, he made his home in st.
Mary. Later, he moved to st.
Landry, to that part Of the parish
which has become EvaDgeline par
ish. From his present home be at
tended the Special session Of the
u gislatnre as tho accredited rep
rcsen'ative of the people of Iberia.
However slightly colored, tinted
or influenced may have been Mr..
Todd's opinions on the questions
Of the day in consequence Of his
residence here and the dall y ming
ling with the people of this sec
ton. causing the slightest want of
harmony between his views and
those of the people of his old
home, just to that degree did he
fail IN the execution Of his oath Of
office and his duty TO the people
who had honOred and trusted him.
AS there are two sides 10 every
question, and as the human mind
II receptive, more OF less, we are
Influenced by the views Of the PEG,
pie we mingle with. The more IN
this true If circumstances lead u.
to make our home hy choice with
them. 1t IL not necessary that
one should travel long distances
from any given point before a
marked difference in public Op,n-
ion Will be encountered with mon
questions Of both locai aud state
wide interest. To illustrate this
It il only necessary to call atten-
ton to two adjoining parishes.
Suppose Mr. Representative chang
"a his home \ year ago from Grow
ley TO AbbeviIIe, and then when
ne moved he WAS qualified and
prepared to represent the people
Of Acadia in harmony with the
trend Of public opinion. II in
Vermilion today, and holding to
the majority opinion of the people
ne resided with, as well as those
Of the people who elected him, he
could hardly represent the people
IF Acadia on the question Of pro
should it be at issue IN
The state today. On this question
Acadia has changed front Will,
Ne'milion holds to her old views.
The people of his old home chang
q their views, rs expressed at the
'allot box, while the people Of lis
lew home hold to the views he
hOuId have represented when hr
anne to them. Under such posi-.
lie circumstance he would be a
'rtIer representative of the peO-
''t he resided with than he would
# those who elected him.
Prohibition ls not the only ques
ION upon which opinions may ;