The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1912-09-20
JENN|GGS CENTER POPULA-
ton FALLACY AND DELUSI0h
An Argument Founded on Misrepre-
sentatIon That Won't be Accepted
BY the Most CreduIols.

III an afticte that is practically q
REPETITION Of a number of others that
has proceeded it. which is in itself a
practical admission, en- the part OF
Jennings, that she has but one leg to
stand on, the Times-Record says,
There is one argument that the op-
ponents OF Jennings for the parish
seat cannot answer the center of pop
ulation arguments.
This argument is very like that of a
man, who had his neighbors brought
before the judge on the charge that
neighbours dog had bitten him. After
the complainant had made his charge
and had made an eloquent plea for
damages against his neighbor, the
judge asked the defendent in the case
1t he had any reason to offer why
judgement should not be found against
him. He replied that he had fortY-niDe
reasons, that the first was that he did
not now, never had, and never expect
ed to own dog. and that the other
forty-cight rea sons could be furnished
If the court desired. This same argu-
ment applies with equal forces to the
Jennings plea of Center of Popua-
ton" Jenniags is NOT NOW. NEVER
WAS, and in all probability NEVER
WILL BE, the center of population of
Jefferson Davis Parish, and every one
who has taken the slightest pains to
inform himself n the question knows
it.
; Jennings men know that they are
not the center of population, but as it
sounds we'll as an argument, and as
they are as shy on real argument for
locating the parish seat on the banks
OF the Mermantau as the proverbial
hen is of teeth, they grasp at this us
the drowning man grasps at a straw,
and it will come about Us near saving
them from the defeat that they will
suffer next Tuesday, as straw would
the drowning man.
Now Mr.. Voter in order to convince
yourself of the absolute absurditv of
this claim, draw line north and
south through the center of Jennings,
on the map. 1t is now fair to suppose
that the population of Jennings is
equally divided by this line Now in
order that Jennings can be the center
OF population there must naturally be
as many peoble living EAST of this
line as there is WEST of it. East of
this meridian line drawn through the
center of Jennings is u strip of terri
tory laying along the bank of the
Mermantau, varying il width from
two to three and half miles, contain.
ing approximately seven-tive square
miles. or about one EIGHT of the
of the area Of the parish, and contain.
ing NO Town, or even POLLING
PLACE. 10 the WEST of this line
lays all the remainder of the parish !
approximately $50 square miles, or
about SEVEN.EIGHTS of the whole
parish. III which are located Elton
with from LOCO to l,500 population,
Lake Arthur with from 200 to 1900
population, Roanoke wish several
hundred population, Welstl and sur.
community with from 1900
to 1000 population, Woodlawn, Fen.
ton, Rice, Thornwell, Edna. and
number of other towns and villages,
Now does it look reasonable that the
territory laying east Of Jennings along
the Mermantau has as much popula-
ton, as all the remainder of the par.
ish, extending clear beyond the Calca.
sleu, an area seven times as large
containing q pretty generous popula
ton, in addition to something like q