New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1911-07-29
DECLARES ENFORCEMENT OF
RIVERS IS BEING IGNORED
BY CANDIDATES.

To the Editor Oh lhe INES l'ellio-
crat: /
| desire to call the attention OF !
he patriotic voters Of Louisiana !
md of the levee taxpayers III par
icular. to the fact that the va
,ious factions Of the Democratic
Darty of our State nave put out
heir candidates for Governor,
who have published their plat
forms, each promising to correct
and reform all the abuses de-
by the votes. But, strange
to say, they have neglected to do
or say anything about one of the
most important questions OF all
the divorcing Of the Mississippi
from the Red AtcEafalaya rivers,
and the protection and reclamation
Of the millions Of acres OF the best
lands in the world. These lands
are not like the marsh and over
flowed tidal lands of the coast
that are subject to storms OF the
Gulf. and can only be reclaimed by
levees. both against the
floods of the Mississippi and the
storms of the Gulf, estimated at
cost of $25 to $50 an acre, OF
which we see so much in the New
Orleans papers. The lands | have
are entirely above the
storms and tides Of the Gulf, and
they naturally drain themselves
through the bayous running
through them. All they require IS
protection from the floods OF the
through the mouths OF
the Red and O.d rivers. This can
be done cheaply. simply by divorc-
ing the Mississippi from the Red
and Old rivers and rebuilding the
levees above the mouth OF the Red
river. at a cost of not more than
81 or So per acre, protecting at
least 100000 acres Of the richest
lands in the world from the floods.
The owners of most of these
lands have been paying enormous
levee taxes without getting any
protection whatever since the ere
alton of the levee boards, hoping
that somthing finally would be
done for their protection. Many
who have improved their lands
and were cultivating them before
the civil war have been compelled
to abandon them to the amount OF
10000 acres in the Atchafalaya
basin Others ON the east bank OF
the Teche have been compelled to
build expensive levees to protect
them from the floods of the At
chafalaya river, and put up ex-
pensive drainage machines to
drain their lands, at the same
time contributing more toward the
building up of the levee system
than those behind the levees and
who have enjoyed the benefit OF
them They ask for protection
|fr ON the floods of the Mississippi
by divorcing the Red and At
chafalaya rivers from the Miss
issippi.
l am sorry to see that some OF
the big planters and Others LIVING
behind the levees and getting all
of the benefit of the levees, back
ed by the levee boards and the
seventeen New Orleans bosses,
1.-THE politicians and commercial or
CARNATIONS Of that great city, are
opposing us, and have given no
other reason for their opposition
than that they fear that IN some
way enforcement may damage
them. and that, too, against the
report of the State Engineer
Major Kerr, who tells them that
enforcement will not.
J. This question necessarily arises,
and should be the most important
in our present campaign: Are
the foolish ideas or selfishness OF
these people to ever prevent the
reclamation Of the 100000 or
100000 acres of the richest
lands in the world. doubling Il
not quadrupling the wealth and
population Of the State? The
Mississippi River Commission
which has charge Of the expend!-
'ture Of all moneys for the I'M
provement Of navigation and the
dl ainage and reclamation OF ou,
ioverf,owed lands. is convinced OF
the necessity of the enforcement
and last year asked if we wanted
| It done. but the planters on the
Mississippi river. backed by the
lward bosses. politicians and com
mercial organizations Of New Or
leans. not only told them mo, W.
do not want it DONE but wen
before the Legislature OF thl'
State and the Governor to hav'
adopted a negative resolution
This was done without consuttlns
the army of levee taxpayers o
Those who were drowned out b.
1.-THE foods of the Mississippi river
or giving the great mass OF vot
ters a chance to express their opln
lion on that great question. ant
!our politicians and candidate
seem to wish to ignore it, all tn
from fear of the bosses and poll
lticians of New Orleans.
| We are left no alternative on
Ito combine against them and re
fuse to vote for any candidate wn
will not only vote for but DO all n \
lean for the DEVELOPMENT and q
lvorcement Of the Mississippi froI
Ithe Red and Atchafalaya rivers.
/ - nnnd nnuo