The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1915-07-03
(Contributed.)
art thou afear'd

Art thou afear'd
To be the same in thine own act and
valour
As thou art in desire? would'st thou have
Which thou esteem'st the ornament OF
life,
And live coward in thine own esteem:
Letting | Dare Not wait upon l Would?"
One William Shakespeare uttered
this cogent thought several centuries
ago. 1t is not the only jewel Of wisdom
uttered by the great Bard which we all
might ponder with great profit, but it
is the one we have in mind as being
particularly Illuminating and very much
to the point in West Feliciana at this
time.
Shakespeare lived in the days of
Queen Elizabeth and Lord Bacon and
Sir Walter Raleigh and long cloaks,
short breeches, ruffled collars and pow
dered wigsj they got along very well
in their day without railroads and cleo
trio lights and automobiles and modern
plumbing and bath particularly
the bath tubs-the perfumery business
we are informed, was especially profit
able: they probably lived in spite Of
these handicaps as happily, loved as
valiantly, fought as nobly and died as
peacefully as we highly enlightened,
comfort-loving mortals of the twentieth
century.
Early in the seventeenth century,
while Shakespeare was harmoniZing
the English language, Lord Bacon phil
osophizing it and Queen Elizabeth MUIR
dering it, Sir Walter was planting his
English colony on American soil, His
scheme failed and after second at
tempt had come to grief, on account OF
some unfortunate political alliances
complicated with somewhat tangled
love affair." he lost his head-a very
serious malady in England at that time.
These great figures in the worlds
history lived in day and generation
when the only means Of travel and
communication was either astride
horse or by chaise or coach. They did
lot of it too and built system of
highways in England that endures to
this day. They built bridges also, built
them to endure; built them because
they needed them and as monuments
to their industry and foresight and
many of them stand to-day where they
speak eloquent testimony to the value
of constructing for the needs OF the
present, with more than thought for
future generations.
Since Sir Walter first set his foot
on American soil, matter OF three
hundred years or whereabouts, we have
builded a great republic and set our
selves in the front rank OF nations,
We believe our civilization to be the
most enlightened, we believe we stand
for more that makes for human COM
fort, well-being and the blessings OF
liberty than any other nation, but in
all our activities we have taken too
little thought for the future and SO
after over three hundred years on
virgin soil we are just beginning to
see how to develop our resources. To
keep in the lead to endure in the first
rank we must look into the future far
as human eye can see" and when we
construct construct for permanency;
when we build-build that our children
and childrens children may benefit by
our foresight.
For one hundred years, West Felic
lana has worried along, satisfied witt
the gifts the gods gave her; contentec
when King Cotton showered his faVors
upon her people, and resigned to the
fates since he has withdrawn his pro
tecting scepter, but to-day new order
has arisen; born of Ambition, schooleC
of Confidence, it has as an objective
Accomplishment, and just as sure al
light comes with the morning sun, 81
sure is the dawning of the bright da!
Of Progress in the parish.
Time was in the history of the Par
ish of West Feliciana when it wouI'
have been impossible to get as man!
=''> as sixteen citizens to agree upon an
subject from politics to horse flesh
but "the old order changeth" and tc
day we find a people ready to &c
together and ask that start be mad
toward better and more substantial
things; that the first steps be taken Il
the direction Of Progress and Accom-
plshment
Less than a month ago few bllth
spirits, with an abundance Of cont
dence in the intelligence of their neigh
bors, conceived the idea that it wa
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