The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1872-03-02
Senator Ray Makes Good Point.

When the Regtration bill was up in
the Senate discussion arose as to the
propriety and policy of forbidding the
appointment of any person holding an
Office, justice of the peace and notary
public excepted, to the Office Of super
visor of registration. Some senators
opposed the proviso to that effect, one
giving as a reason that if it were adopt
ted he could not find q man in his par
ish (Concordia) of his party, who
would be capable of filling the posi-
ticn. Senator Ray favored the propo-
sition, and gave his reasons as follows:
I have listened with attention to the
arguments which have been made on
this point, and have arrived at the
conclusion that the section should stand
in its original state. L think there is
just as much danger to be apprehended
from the appointment of parish officers
as supervisors of registration as the APP
pointment of State officers. In my own
parish am satisfied that we can get a
perfectly competent supervisor Of regis
tration, who has not held an Office for
the last twelve months, and perhaps
never held one. There is a little knot
of men in my parish who appropriate
all the offices to themselves. One man
holds five Offices, and he will certainly
be an applicant for the Office of super
visor if a prohibitory clause is not
inserted in this bill. 1 am confident
there are plenty of men in every parish
of the State who would be competent,
under this provision, to fill the Office Of
supervisor. The object is to get a reg
istrar who has not meddled in the po-
litical affairs of the State, and who Will
be perfectly fair and impartial in the
discharge Of his duties. This is very
valuable provision, and would dislike
very much to see it stricken from the
bill. In order to test the sense Of the
Senate on the subject, I move to lay
the motion of the Senator from West
Baton Rouge (Mr. Gallup) on the table.
The Senate refused to table, and the
proposition was finally carried.
These words Of Mr.. Ray seem to be
pointed directly at Il few Persons in
this vicinity: sZNere Is II little h,aot Of
men IN my parish acho appropriate all the
offices to themselves. One man holds .frc
offices, and he ,ciV ce1ftu>1ly be t,e t1,pli-
cant. for the office Of supervisor, Jfo pro-
hidito1y clause Is not inserted IN the biV."
+ This is exactly what we have been
preaching for some time, and we arc
glad to have the opportunity to adduce
the testimony of so valuable witness
as Mr.. Ray in proof of the correctness
of our position. While the Senator is
speaking his mind-a little freely, we
admit-we rise to ask, who is this knot
of. little men ?-beg pardon !-s'little
knot OF menu" How many Of them
have ever done anything since they
have been among us, except to hold, en-
ergctically and industriously, all the
offices they could get: How many Of
them arc white: and how many arc
black? How many Of them would live
here if there were no Offices they could
get: How many of them are affected
injuriously by taxation: Who is this
man who holds "fivc offices and will
certainly be an applicant'' for supervi-
sor? Is he the present Public Admin
istrator, President of the Police Jury,
Police Juror for the Monroe ward, mcnl-
Der the City Council, Official Printer for
Ouachita Parish, Official Printer for
Caldwell Parish, Official Printer for
the City of Monroe, one of the official
Printers of the State and of the United
States: Will Mr.. Ray join us in put
ting down these "knots'' and Office
monopolists all over the State, and i'll
restoring the government to the hands
of men who have real substantial intc-
rests and sympathies in the State: We
trust he will not be intimidatcd by the
scope and difficulty of the undertaking.
Factions.