Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1921-11-10
THE LOUISIANA LEGISLATURE
AND THE WATER HYACYNTH
By George D. Coleman

The last session Of the Louisiana
Legislature petitioned the U. S. Coy
eminent 10 help the State destroy the
Water Hyacynth that is clogging the
navigable streams.
These political gentlemen know
more of politics, etc. than they do of
what should be known by real bona
fide statesman. They are ignorant, or
have awfulIy bad memories; for about
fifteen years ago = it may be twenty
years = the u. S. Agricultural Dept.
proposed to introduce into the ST.
Johns River, Frorida. and the Bayous
and streams of Louisiana. Hippopot-
ami. These animals would eat the
Water Hyacynth and thrive and grow
fat on them and many other aquatic
growths, and the climate at these
points is well adapted to them; and
not only that, but their hide is good
for leather, and their flesh superior to
the best beef, - know from having
eaten it and their fat which is album
dant is equal to butter. Why was the
offer of the U. S. Agricultural Dept
rejected? Simply because tie Eegisla-
lures of these states lack the know
ledge to properly care for the pub
lie welfare. Their grandfathers had
not used hippopotami; therefore they
couldn't entertain an idea their grand
dads had not practiced. And now
these wise men petition the y. S. Gov
eminent to aid the State in exterrain-
ating the Water Hyacynth. Some Of
these gentlemen have an idea of how
to exterminate the HEyacynth and they
want the job and work and the vel
vet or graft that would come of spend
ing the taxpayers money Politics in
the U. S. A. is spelled GRAFT. How
much is there in it for me-" By intro
ducing Hippopotami, they would make
big stroke~ag the meat trust and
the meat trust controls not only the U.
S. Congress, the Press, and the State
Legislatures, and is one of the Sacred
Cows" that must not be harmed; but
all the arguments their press agents
can invent are arrayed against it, and
the American public stand for it, and
like the German people under the Kai-
ser, believe, accept, and obey what is
officially" told them. The U. S. A.
is as much the lend of ''Verboten" as
Germany ever was, and so the method
of getting rid of the Water Hyacynth
that would be not only cheaper than
the jobbing of lot of grafters, but
would at the same time create a big
production of valuable meat and in
jure the packers. Oh, yes, the press
agents of the packers brighten the
farmers and the sugar cane raisers by
tales of the terrible hippopotami that
would come ashore and play havoc
with the cane fields and play hob with |
corn and other crops, and play upon
the ignorance of the public, who don't |
know that the Hippopotami prefers
by a great majority" the Water EIya- |
cynth and almost any underwater and
aquatic growth to any land crops, and
only comes ashore hunting other food |
when they have exhausted their ma |
tural food supply. When that time |
comes and the Hippopotami have in
creased and the Water Hyacynth is |
gone, and they have eaten up their ma !
turaI food supply, they will not be |
needed any more, and they will no |
longer need protection, and we could !
have a big meat harvest. Hippopotami /!
steaks and roasts would be cheaper
than the best cuts and roasts that the |
trust gouges us for and gives the rail !
trust share Of the profits to trans
port to US for from 800 to 1000 miles. |
No, it would never do to allow the
Southern yassels Of the packers TO raise
and have cheap meats and especially
when they discovered the Hippopotami
steaks and roasts were superior in fla
vor and better than their meats; SO
their GRAFT must be protected, and
the political hangers-on must be given
a Job to make their share of the graft
and also to bleed the u. S. Treasury