St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1911-03-04
DR.. DURIO REPLIES TO
MESSRS. LEWIS and
BERCIER

my last communication to you,
Mr.. Lewis took certain state
lments as personal references. I
wish all parties to this contro-
versy to understand that I dis
claim any such intention. AS to
the political references, it would
/ be difficult to argue this question
/ without turning back to the poll
Itieal history of ST. Landry Parish
/ for the last twenty-five years.
lit is also well known that none
of the great industrial questions
of the day are settled without
affecting, inone way or the other,
the political views Of the differ
ent communities affected in their
settlement. In their replies to
my article, neither the President
lof the Progressive League nor
Mr.. Lewis deny nor refute a sim
gle argument, nor any Of the
Statements / Imade. stated that.
| lOpelousas is an inland town,
which is self-evident. stated
that the Progressive League was
loverreaching itself, which is the
truth, and they cannot prove the
contrary. I said Opelousas was
six miles distant from any river
or bayou, and that 1 could not
therefore see or understand why.
a few of its citizens should wish
to dictate in the matter of the.
improvement of these streams.
And lastly I stated that the main
reason for the opposition of the
Progressive League to the scheme
of the Government Engineers for
the Improvement Of the Teche
and Courtableau, was the com
mercial supremacy Of Opelousas,
of which the Progressive League
is mighty jealous, and this also
they do not deny.
The gentlemen state that they
want facts and reasons. That is
exactly what we are after.
Where and from whom are we
going to get the facts and rea-
sons in this case? / know of no
better source Of information than
the Government Engineers. It
Mr.. Lewis and the Progressive
League refuse to accept the facts
and reasons for the proposed i'm
provements. as these facts and
reasons were set forth before the.
public at the meeting in Opel
ousas, and it seems they do re-
fuse to accept them, we would
welcome any information based
on scientific facts, from any re-
putable source, which would help
to solve the problem. The Presi-
dent of the Progressive League
and Mr.. Lewis were present at
the hearing given by Col. Beach
at Opelousas, and all the facts
and reasons were shown them,
maps were exhibited, showing
the water levels, the amount of
rainfall, and the effects on all
these elements Of the proposed
improvements, and, with all these
facts combined and emonstrated
to the satisfaction of any un-
biased unind, they still refuse to-
admit the correctness of the view
taken by Colonel Beach. There
were men present, however, from
Opel0usas, who, after listening
to the very instructive talk of
Colonel Beach, became readily
convinced, not only Of the feast
bility and practicability of his
PLANS, but of the great amount of
good that would follow their exc
cut5on. / trust the people of
Washington viii not think for
0ne moment that | entertain any
hostility to the great irrigation
plant located at their doors. They
are no doubt in the same posi-
th0n as we of the Teche. For
thirty years the leading politi-
clans, at every congressional
election, promised us the estab-
hslament of navigation through
the Teehe and the Courtableau.
When Mr.. Robertson represented
this district in Congress, the
stalwarts of those times used to
sing this old song in our ears.
Thirty years have come and gone,
and, 10! when our dreams areI
about to be realized, the very
men who poured all this sweet
music into our willing ears, are
throwing all their influence, poll
teal and otherwise, to thwart /
the project.
The President of the Progress
slve League, looking out over the
hills, down into the valley Of the
Teche, sees d stagnant pool, Il
lingering in a ditch, as Mr.. Lewis +
calls It. A more unfair state I,
nent could not be made. If the 4
President of the League and MIR. q
Lewis will drive to NotIeyyille or
ArnaudHille, they will find, to
their an1azement, not a ditch,
but a magnificent ernbankment,
with an average width Of over
300 feet, ii which Is ripping
along pure stream of genuine
Sourtableau water. Mr.. Presi-