St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1913-04-05
A HARVEST OF
BARREN REGRETS
Is What Office Holders and
Office Seekers
Reap.

Our friend Judge Dupre has
written a letter to the Item, in
which he gives it as his exper.
fence, that office holders and
office seekers in the end, reap a
harvest of barren regrets. He
endeavors in the communication
to give to the young men, some
wholesome advice.
The letter follows:
Opelousas, La, March %, 1913.
Editor Of TheaItem:
I have just read your editorial
in this days issue entitled
Hunting Jobs" and what you
say therein is not in the least
overdrawn.
w h e Governor Hall was
elected a regiment of applicants
besieged him for a job. When
Wilson was elected an army
made preparations for a similar
purpose. H S announcement
that they must look elsewhere
for plums has about run the
congressman and senators crazy.
In our own state the pie eat
ers and would-be Office holders
are a nuisance. Illustrative of
the idea how our congressman
are being annoyed by these ap-
plicants, one of these stated to
me that with Wilson's election
he instructed his private secre-
tary to purchase a letter file
wherein topreserve letters from
applicants only. That a second
one had to be obtained. Imagine
one congressman having a letter
file filled within four months
after an election.
When I observe the incessant
demands being made upon our
representative from this, the
seventh district, from would-be
postmasters, it actually makes
me sick. Delegations upon dele
cations pour in upon him. | am
certain he is being worried to
death. If | were a congressman
and had to endure this I would
in secret pray for the election of
a President from the opposing
party. And I am certain that
before the pie is distributed
some of them will feel the same
way.
Why can't our young men
learn that Office seeking, office
holding is the worst occupation
they can engage In?
Survey the field from the be-
ginning of our government to
the present moment, or the
major portion of such time, in
running for Office or soliciting
has in the end reaped "A
harvest of barren regrets"
| speak from experience. |
have been ambitious to hold
office. Scored somewhat-about
so per cent-and now looking
backward through the glass Of
time | feel that the energy wasted
in this direction brought nothing
but regrets deep and enduring.
The time devoted to office seek
Office holding was a naked
waste. The same amount de-
voted to my profession would
have produced a handsome bank
account accompanied by peace of
mind and permanent endurance.
Young men, stick to your knit
ting. Cease to solicit Office.
is nothing in it. | do not
mean to say that you should not
AXE an active interest in politics.
It is your duty as a good citizen
20 to do. You can accomplish
much along these lines without
office. Your refusal
% accept this will endear you to
he good people in your COM
nunity who will appreciate your
lnselfsh efforts in their behalf.
You can be a good citizen, of
great usefulness to your town,
and state without enlist
ng under the banner Of the pie
brigade now infesting
very nook and corner of these
United States, to the prejudice
# it's well being, the we'll being
# its Representatives in congress,
Who are being bounded to death
" these persistent office seekers.
Yours truly,
GILBERT L. DOPRE,