The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1877-10-06
REFORM.

Il vac 81 'tia ditieN OF .AnerI-
can citizenship t" indulge in IA
tar aIri iioliest criticism of the
dcr;!S and omissions of publ;c
Sti'aAtS, anti it vii! he .ound
mat that coH1mufi!y viii he the
BEST governed where an "intpl:j-
gent paniic opinion sits in iudoe
ment upon the actions OF their
sworn "iiiclfis. This public OPT
mon to he e!fectuul should be
ionntie's III common SENSE and in
formed by the stric;eSt princi-
pies OF Justice and impartiality,
1t should give praise to whom
praise Is due, and only ahminiS-
ter cenSure when there is occa.
sion Tor it.
1t is Ill this spirit that We now
proceed to call to the bar of pub
he opinion the present General
Assembly OF the State for one OF
Their acts OF omission. While Civ
lIg them all due credit for their
fine record in the way of econo
my and reform, 10y emitting down
salaiieS, and placing salutary
checks upon the powers Of muui>
clpai aud p%arochlal governments,
we would like to Know how it is
that Il worthy legislators did
not themselves practise the re
form and economy they could SO
we'll apply to others! In reducin"
expenses, why did they not dilni
n!Sh their own compensation ? 1t
may be answered that Art. 80 of
the Constitution ;rovides that
the compensation OF members OF
the Geaerai Assembly shall be
eight dollars per day daring their
Attendance, going to and return-
ing from the sessions of their res
pectivt houses. Granted, bat does
not the Saline article further pro-
vide, that this compensation may
be increased OF d}Mihished by law.
with the limitation, ihat such al
telallon shall not take effect du-
ring The period Of service of the
members of the House of Repre-
%seiitatlycs by which such %allera-
ton shall have been made
There is surely no ambiguity
E'r:e, The Legislature has the I'M
doubted right OF diminishing the
compensation OF its members.
Then why did not orr reform le-
gISlators make the reduction.
leaving the effect, of course, to
operate on the General Assem-
bly, 10 be chosen next year ? The
people have a right to demand
that their law makers shall re-
dllce their compensation at least
fifty per cent. There is no reason
why the legislature sh0Hid not
fix the compensation Of its Hem
hprS at tour dollars per cay, tie
salary which was sanctioned bv
the constitutions Of 1912. 1915
and 1882. Eight dollars per day
Woald have been considered in
the light oi robbery OF the pub
he treasury. by the legislature
OF aae JeI!an days. And yet, the
state WAS prosperous 1T that pc
Rod OF her history ana woull not
have missed this Increased com
%pensatI0n Of the members OF the
General Assembly. The idea of
our statesmen then WAS to pro
vide for the expenses OF the board
and lodging OF the members of
The Legislature, but not to sup
ply them with the means of in
dalging in luxutles. 1t was ex-
pected that champagne suppers
and Havana cigars were to be
paid ont OF their pocket of each
member who chose to indulge In
them.
The opinion seems to obtain
nova days that the people must
pay liberal salaries, because the
members are expected to treat
each other III order to gain votes
for their reSpectiveS measures,
: Those who use this argument
can not be aware that they are
thus asking the State to simply
the members of The General ASS
sembIy with corruption fund
. In addition to what is necessary
for their decent support and main
tenance. If you have a pet mea-
sure which you wish to carr;
through, aud you desire to enlist
the support Of several Influential
members Of the legislature to
make It's passage certain, is not
the moral crime of bribery as
completely perpetrated by treat
ing them to ii supper aSbytender
lag ali ST them Il roll OF Green
backs : 1t seems TO us that there
is no difference in the principle.
III N ease You corrupt by pam
pering the appetite : in the other
by an appeal to cupidity.
Now. we woull not be under