The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1915-08-21
was because of this fact that con-

OIL I1ISlO VI 1OIho was i,
and the saving thus effected ordered
to be used for locks. The same act
which authorized the construction of
locks declared in mandatory terms
that the saving was dedicated, set
aside and appropriated for the pur-
pose of constructing locks All that
is being asked today is that a small
proportion of this large saving be
used as the law directs it shall be used,
namely, in constructing locks.
There can be no higher obligation
ICED as the law directs it shall be
the construction Of the Lafourche
locks. Obligations are created by
contract or by law, and no man or set
of men can place themselves above
the law. The obligation to use por-
ton of the funds paid by the taxpay-
ers in these two districts toward the
construction of locks is plain and un-
ambiguous and should now be car
ried out The legislature, the repre-
sentative of the people, placed the OBJ
legation on the joint organization in
1900, and again in 1906 directed it to
carry out the obligation which had
been imposed upon it. In the face of
this, who can be, heard to say that
there is higher obligation on the
joint organization than that placed
upon it by the legislature, the chosen
representative of the people?
Indeed the chief executive Of this
state, speaking through the board of
state engineers and representing this
joint organization as far back as
1904, declared to the chief of engi-
neers of the United States Army as
follows:
"The Atchafalaya basin levee board
and the Lafourche levee board, who
are doing this work, are part of the
executive branch of the government
of the state of Louisiana, and of
course, feel that it is their duty to
enforce not only all state laws, but
also such United States laws as bear
upon the works which they have in
charge. It is, therefore, their first
endeavor. in the discharge of this
duty, to act in accordance with these
laws, and, realizing this fully, they
would not think for moment of
evading that law of the United States
congress which requires the removal
of the dam at the expiration of a
period of three years from December
13, 1904. They mean and intend to
carry out the law in every respect.
They feel that they have no option in
the matter, but are only officials whose
duty it is to strictly carry out the
laws.
In conclusion, it is a noteworthy
fact that at the last meeting of the
joint organization held at Donaldson
vile on July 10, 1915, the notice of
which meeting had been given great
deal Of publicity, there did not appear
before the joint organization a single
taxpayer from either the Lafourehe or
levee district to object
or protest against the joint organiza-
ton carrying out at once the obliga-
tions which the state of Louisiana as
sumed in I 900 when permission was
granted it to- close tenn ap0rarfIy this
nayigable stream. On the contrary,
citizens and taxpayers
of Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche
and Terrebonne united in their de-
mand that the joint organization pro-
ceed Immediately to take steps to-
ward construction of the locks.
The press of the city and state
voicing the unanimous sentiment of
the people are one in demanding that
faith be kept with the federal govern
ment. The effort on the part Of one
or two servants of the people to
thwart solemn and binding obliga-
ton by dilatory tactics and motions
to postpone should be con-
demned, as doubtless it is condemned
by all who having the good name of
the state of Louisiana at heart desire
to preserve it fair and untarnished
by keeping faith with the federal gov
ernment. WALTER sLEMANN.