The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1878-01-26
Il CoLFAX GRANT PARISH La SATURDAY, JANUARY


Quire no argument: but until it as
sumes the responsibility which right
fully rests upon il, which trust vii.
be ut no distant day, it will dcvolvt
upon the State to provide ways and
means for afforling the protection
needed. Wbat'to do is a difficult
problem. The division Of the alla-
vial region into leyee districts, and
the application therein Of u tax on
the productions of the protected
lands, is one of the means suggested.
This plan is said to have been sue
cessfully applied in Mississippi.
/ Another mode suggested is the
organization of the Penitentiary con-
victs SO that their labor may be APP
piled to levec building. An esti-
mate of the probable annual cost 0f
such system will be found in the
report of the Board of Engineers.
An obstacle to the adoption of this
system ut present is the existence OF
"a contract in reference to this labor,
| which would have to be first set
aside. The convict force is also en-
gagged at present in the construction
Of the n. o. a. p. Railroad, the im-
portance OF which to this State can
scarcely be over-estimated.
A third plan is continuation of
the present system of general taxa
ton. The difficulty which stands in
the way of the latter for the coming
year is the constitutional restriction
| upon the extent of taxation, and the
forced application of the revenues to
to the expenses of the year i'll which
they were collected, coupled with the
fact that the levee taxes to be collec-
ted in 1876 have been already almost
entirely applied to the works now in
process of construction.
+ The only suggestions that have
to make for the present in reference
to public lands is that before land
patent reaches the Governor for his
signature, it shall be countersigned
byat least two officers, whe shall serve
as checks upon each other and youch
for the compliance of the conditions
precedent upon which patent is au-
thorized 70 be issued. The form of the
patent at present used is defective
and should be altered.
The iessees of the penitentiary be-
ing ia arrears to the State TO large
amount, a suit was instituted in East
Baton Rouge, several years ago,
against them for a dissolution Of the
lease and for a Judgment for the
rent. 1t became an important qnes-
ton whether, during last year, this
suit should be pressed for trial, as u
dissolution of the lease would have
thrown the conyicts on the State
without any Appropriation for their
support amt guarding, aud no direc-
ton as to their use, aud it was de-
cided to let them remain as they
were. 1t becomes a matter of legis-
lative discretion whether the suit 10
set aside the lease be pressed Or not.
The convicts are at work on a
work which it is exceedingly impor-
tant should he carried on.
recommend complete reorgani-
cation of the militia Of the State, and
in addition to their general enroll
ment and organization that the Gov
ernor should be authorized to organ
ne a small militia force in each
parish, which could be ready for
service at moments notice.
My attention has been directed,
through the operation of section zoos
- H., U.,...d Sfafrfao IN aifbQr fbo
carelessness or ignorance Of some Of
the clerks of courts in the State in
the discharge of their duties i'll GRIM
inal matters. | suggest il law, max
ing it expressly and specially the
duty of the district judges to give
personal supervision from day to day
over the minutes Of their courts in
criminal cases. l call you attention
TO the subI.et of appeals in criminal
cases. Articles "a and 1909 OF the
Revised Statutes should be amended
50 as to make it the duty Of the
Judge, whenever an appeal is asked
for In u criminal case, to himself Tx
special return day, and to desig-
nate the place Of return, due regard
being had to reasonable time. In
other words, / think that what is
now right Of the accused under
these sections should BIZ made the
right OF the State.
There prevails very generally the
belief that it is discretionary with
committing magistrates 10 allow, or
not, the waiver of preliminary ex-
animation in criminal matters on
the person charged with crime fur.
nishing bond. This waiver should
be prohibited. 1t does away with
the perpetuation Of important testi-
mony, and witnesses are frequently
not 10 De !oind when most needed.
Whist ol. this subject, l would say
Lili.i the object 1t section lOOo Is not
,lcciafe,,; it Mas scarcely intended, l
thiDA, 10 cast upon the Executive
the duty oil passing upon the iegaiity
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