St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1916-08-26

Opelousas, L.
AS a representative OF the pep I
nle. as a police juror Of the fourth
ward. ST. Landry parish, | feel it my
d,,tv 70 make some explanation OF {
causes and reasons why the peo-
nile of Palmetto and Melville, two of
largest communities of the
fourth ward, have been disappointed
as to the erection of the two dipping
vats that were to have been built at
their respective points.
AS this information vas obtained
only yesterday, it is deemed wise to
ask that no censure be made for de-
Iinquency in publishing these re-
marks.
AS every taxpayer and citizen OF
this parish is aware, the sum OF
three thousand dollars was raised
by loan to the parish at 8 per cent
interest for the purpose Of building
the dipping watts whose erection IS
absolutely essential to the welfare
of the cattle business OF the par
ish, and this sum was divided into
| six parts of five hundred dollars
each for apportionment to the sew
eral wards of the parish.
Since the fourth is of so large an
area, and has SO many cattle, It was
seen early in these proceedings that
three dipping watts, the number that
can be built with five hundred dol
lars, was entirely inadequate to the
needs of the fourth ward. To es-
cape the necessity of having to drive
all the cattle in the ward to the
three locations indicated, the loyal
and liberal minded citizens Of the
various districts offered to raise by
private subscription a sum making
it possible for the police jury to
have five dipping watts built, the
parish meeting one-half of the ex-
pense Of each vat, and the private
subscribers one-half. Under this
plan practically every cattle man Of
the fourth ward could have easy ac-
cess to a conveniently located vat.
Under the arrangements Of the
above plan, Mr.. Catlett, police juror
of the fourth ward, would have had
to take care of the Big Cane, Nor
row, and Rosa district, Mr.. Babing-
ton would have had to provide for
Melville, Palmetto and the adjoin-
ing territory, and Mr.. Brown would
+. -
have fallen heir to the needs OF
Port Barre and Waxia commune
ties.
Watts were to have been erected al
Port Barre, Waxia, Melville. Pal
metto and Rosa.
i This arrangement was discussed
. at length among the people of the
! several communities interested, an6
it is understood by the writer tina
q everyone was satisfied.
This satisfaction has been rudely
shattered by the action of Mr. J. B
I Darlington, who altho representa-!
the Melville and Atchafalaya dis
/ tricts has ignored the offer of
free site for a vat at Melville, Of.
fered by Mr.. G. G. Johnson, togethe
!, with sufficient funds raised by pri
waite subscription to complete tn
vat at one-half cost to the parish
A similar disregard for the right
of the citizens at Palmetto was dis
played by Mr.. Darlington, since
q free site for a vat has been offere1
by Mr.. VIM. Fitzmaurice and a suf
: ficient amount raised by the citi
zens Of Palmetto to insure the loca
I ton of their vat.
& The method selected by Mr.. Bah
. ington is an old one, and well
4 known among the calloused politi
cal ~autoerats Of Louisiana. Nj
Darlington merely ignored the right
] Of his depending constituents an
. erected one complete dipping vat 3
: Meta, La, near the parish line, en-
) tirely at the cost of the parisl
thereby expanding the money thu
s was to have been used in building
/ vat at Melville and a vat at Pa
metto.
! This selfish and laundering use {
political position and legal power b
: Mr.. Darlington seems especially he
nous in Il estimation, since he hs