New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-03-03
VOLUME VINO. 27S.
THE LEGISLATURE HEsIEhDAA

Mr.. Chadbourn called up Senate bill NO.
| 3i2. an act requiring parents, guardians or
other persons having control OF ch1lofeh
| between the ages of SIX and sixteen, 10 give
them an opportunity OF education. lhe
hill was ordered to be read third time.
| with a view to its final passage.
Mr.. Bovee moved the indefinite postpone
| ment OF the bill.
Mr.. Wharton thought the bill could be
| made very good one by striking out the
third section.
Mr.. Bovee renewed his motion.
! Mr.. Burch thought much might be said
| for and against the bill. He said in many
| of the States Of the Union the matter OF
compulsory education was being adopted
| as q measure of reform. and read from
report emanating from the fountain head OF
public education in New York. going to
show that compulsory education was abso'
lutely necessary for the maintenance OF
popular government throughout this great
country. If lsaid Mr.. Burchl the leading
met in State like New York-the seat OF
| intelligence IN this country-admlt the
| necessity of compulsory education as
means of securing the perpetuity OF repub'
lican government in the United States OF
America, how important it becomes that
compulsory education should have advo'
Gates in Louisiana, where the people in the
past have not had the same advantages
of public education that existed IN
IN any Of the other States OF the
Union. He thought the education OF
the rising generation in this State was a
subject of such vast Importance that 1t
could not be properly discussed in an hour,
a day, nor a week. He deemed 1t SUBJECT
worthy of profound consideration; one that,
if it took month to properly consider and
arrive at conclusions beneficial to the great
mass of the people, the time would be well
spent. And in connection with this subject
Mr.. Burch thought the Superintendent OF
Public Education in this State MIR. Brown)
had presented, in his late report, very
strong argument in favor of compulsory
education. Mr.. Burch read from Mr..
Browns report, and argued that it would
| be far better to let our rich lands 60 uncul'
tivated than that the minds Of the rising
generation in this State should be permit
ted to go unimproved.
Mr.. Wharton expressed himself in favor
of the bill, though he admitted it had OBJ
iectionable features. The principle of the
bill, public education. he regarded as cor
rect, and would therefore vote that it be-
| come law.
Mr.. Brewster was of the opinion that the
gentlemen advocating the passage OF the
bill were ten years in advance of the times.
He thought, with good teachers and
| an honest use Of the school !und.
there would be no need Of com'
pulsory education. The trouble had
been want Of public schools to ena
| Bile parents to send their children to school
| This want, he said. had arisen from mis-
application of the money appropriated toI
public education. In many Of the parishes
this money had been applied to private uses
by those intrusted with it, and thus the
cause of public education in Louisiana had
| been made to suffer Mr.. Brewster said he
was happy to say this was not the case IN
the school district in which he resided, en-
bracing the parish of Ouachita; but he was
satisfied that in most other portions of the
State there had been a most dishonest use
of the school funds. From this cause the
people had not been afforded the necessary
opportunity of sending their children to
school: and until that was done, and they
neglected to send their children to school,
he thought a law Of compulsory education
was out of place; besides, he argued that
the bill was impracticable in many re-
spects.
Mr.. Blunt spoke in favor of the bill, and
after he had concluded his remarks Mr..
Chadbourn renewed his motion, and the
bill finally passed by vote of Is yeas to ~
nays.
On motion of Mr.. Whitney, an act to
amend the act to maintain the conduct and
secure the purity of elections in Louisiana.
was then taken up and finally passed.
Mr.. Harris called up an act to limit and
fix the fees paid by the State OF Louisiana
and the city of New Orleans for the record
alton of tax judgments, or delinquent tax
lists in the parish of Orleans. Under sus'
pension Of the rules the bill finally passed.
1t makes the fee for recording the delin
uuent tax lists or tax judgments in favor OF
the State of Louisiana or city OF New Or
leans seventy.fiye cents for each property
described and recorded. instead of the fee
now allowed by law, viz: 81 so, and pro
| vides that payment shall be made by the
State Auditor and the city Administrator o.
Public Accounts. respectively.
A resolution. asking pay for painting Of
| the late Oscar j. Dunn, was presented and
indefinitely postponed.
Mr.. Bovee called up Senate bill No. 456
an act enabling planters, farmers, mer
chants, etc, to pledge and pawn theil
products. The bill was read, and on mo-
ton of Mr.. Bovee finally passed.
Mr.. Chadbourn called up Senate bill No
| 3l9, an act to prevent forced sales OF
| property at less than four-fifths Of It's
value, and to amend and re.enact article
| $50 of the Code of Practice. The bill was
ordered to be read. after which Mr.. Butler
moved its ind-finlte postpon ement.
Mr.. Chadbourn said he thought the gen.
| tleman did not understand the merits OF
the bill. He explained that as the law now
is it permits the sale of property at two
| thirds its value. The object of the bill is
| to make it bring three-fourths.
Mr.. Wharton gave his views of the bill
and professed to see no good IN it. He
| would, therefore, second the motion to In
definitely postpone it.
The bill was then indefinitely postponed