St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1878-07-06
AMENDMENT NUMBER SEVEN.


Every bill which shall have passed
both houses shall be presented to the
Governor; if he approve it, he shall
sign it; it he does not, he shall return
it, with his objections, to the house in
which it originated, which shall enter
the objections at large upon its journal,
and proceed to reconsider it. Ii, after
such reconsideration, two-thirds of all
the members present in that House shall
agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent,
with the objections, to the other House,
by which it shall likewise be reconsid-
cred, and if approved by two-thirds of
the members present in that House, it
shall be law. But in such cases the
vote of both Houses shall be deter
mined by yeas and nays, and the names
of members voting. for or against the
bill shall be entered upon the Journals
of each House respectively. If any bill
shall not be returned by the Governor
within five days after it shall have been
presented to him, it shall be law, in
like manner as if he had signed it, ln-
less the General Assembly, by adjourn
ment, prevent its return in which case,
within thirty days, the Governor shall
file the same, with his objections there
y
and give public notice thereof; other
wis wise it shall become a law, as if he had
signed it. The Secretary of State shall
communicate said objections and bill so
deposited to the House in which it origi-
mated on the first day of the meeting of
the next General Assembly, who shall
act upon the same as above provided.
The Governor shall have power to veto
one or more items in any bill appro-
priating money, embracing distinct
items, while approving other portions
of the bill, and the part or parts Of the
bill approved shall be law, and the item
or items disapproyed shall be void, un-
less repassed according to the rules and
limitations prescribed for the passage Of
other bills over the Governors veto.
(Strike out article sixty-six.)
This Amendment proposes to correct
one of the most fragrant abuses of power
ever claimed and exercised by the Radi-
calls. even i'm the height of their corrupt
rnle in Louisiana. The Constitution of
1868 fixed no time at which the Cover
nor should approve the bills passed by
the Legislature, and it was the custom
Of both Warmoth and Kellogg to hold
up bills with money in them until they
we're paid for their approval. Parties
desiring to establish a monopoly, such
as the Lottery, the Sugar Sheds, the
Slaughter House, Ship Island Canal and
other Jobs of that nature, first bribed
the members of the two Houses and
bought it's passage through them, and
then bribed the Governor and bought
his approval. The omission to limit
the time in which the Governor should
approve or veto a bill, gave to War
moth and Kellogg an unusual power,
which they did not fail to use to their
pecuniary advantage. ..es...-
Nor was this the only evil to be cor
rected by this Amendment. 1t gave
the Governor an immense political
mower. and he could, and the two
named above frequently did, pocket
bills of q political nature, and would
promulgate them at inconvenient times
or else hide them from sight forever.
Without some such limitation as that
nroDosed the Governor is practically
the master of the Legislature, and but
little short in his power of that of a
dictator. The last clause, authorizing
the veto of particular items of a bill
anDropriating money, without having
tp veto the whole bill, is also much
needed measure of reform and extends
the power of the Legislature in safe
direction. It will also promote correct
legislation as, in many instances, the
Governor would be forced to approve
Objectionable items in the revenue bills,
which are frequently passed in the last
hours of the session, because to veto the
whole act would stop the whole of the
State government.