The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-09-02
Constitutions.

tend to Louisiana. Our organic law has
developed O number Of faults. 1t has
afforded an opportunity for saddling the
State with debt of many millions Of dol
lars for fraudulent and worthless coDsider'
ations. 1t has rend cred possible the sale
by o venal Legislature of important fran
chises, thus establishing monopolies by
which the people are intolerably taxed. 1t
has permitted a license tax, whereby per-
sonal exertion for the support of ones
family is grievously hampered and might
have been actually prohibited.
These are great evila and ought to be
remedied promptly. Our Legislature is
vested with powers that are absolutely
excessive and would be unreasonably
plenary though every member were
strictly honest man. There is no reason
why civil government should be able to
vest in one man the sole power to sell
lottery tickets. The whole Infamous trafnc
ought to be put on the criminal list instead
of being licensed, but if it is to be licensed
at all, why limit the faculty to one person
or one corporation.
1t may be said that the State receives a
consideration for the grant of such a fran
! chse, but the same argument would apply
to any other monopoly. The State could
! sell the exclusive right to make shoes, and
then everybody would have to get shoes
of Mr.. Howard, if he were the lucky
beneficiary of the grant. 1t could sell the
sole right to handle cotton, sugar, rice,
Ash, meats il could put up the pro-
fessions to sale also and limit to lucky
few the right of practising law or medicine.
Each of these monopolies would, of course,
pay a handsome bonus to the government,
| but nothing like the amount which would
be realized from competition in the came
| kinds of business under licenses.
Certainly it is in the highest degree
unrepublican, to prohibit any line of occu-
patton to any citizen, or to vest the gov
ernment with power to create such dis
tinctions. Everyone ought to be free to
follow any occupation for which he is
competent and the principle of monopoly
has always been fought against as the
meet despotic that tyranny can incorporate
into its Code.
The license system is not 80 outrageous
as that OF outright nonopolies, but is infe-
ror to it in degree only. Its principle is
the came, and indeed it's operation ia
partly the same. The license can be
place at such n figure that only one, or at
most a few, will be able to purchase it, so
that virtually all the weaker aspirants to
business in any such line are crowded out.
This is not a mere speculation; it is
we'll known reality. Its destructive pres
ence is felt by the broker, the grocer, the
manufacturer, tie Insurance Co.-by any
one and any corporation that begins busi-
nees with limited capital in a field where
heavy capitalists are to be competed with.
These things are outrages upon personal
rights, but the power of piling up Unlimited
debt upon a helpless people is an outrage
upon the rights of property. 1t is in prin-
ciple nothing but contiscation. If man
can mortgage my property, he might as
well have the right to sell it.
These crying grievances ought to be
righted OF course politicians Will oppose
any reform in these respects. 1t is their
trade to traffic in these abuses. But the
people ought to demand it. Louisiana of
oil the States has suffered most from the
misuse of power; she ought to take the
| lead in placing civil power within such
bounds that it will be comparatively
3 harmless whe her honestly or dishonesty
I administered.
We ought to have Constitutional Con
vention.
. But we see no movement in that direc
, ton. 1t is rumored that New Orleans i
in the hands Of Ring; 1t is even sait
that this Ring, if it does not control th'
g State, intends to do so. And what abou
9 our newspRpers7 The Ring aud tn
& bondholders, of course, want no Conven
ls ton. Are our respectable daIles to
:" deferertisl to the Ring and the bond
J., holders
g. Our Indian Policy.