The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-12-18
TIE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVEN-
igss ''svsFION.

S ~
In accordancesswith our. promise lie
.st week NJ enter upon the enqui- n
y, 'sHoWsnuch can the expenses of p
.gislation be reduced?" For this a
urfpss We hare examined the Sta b
utes nom 1869 TO 1877 inclusive p
Hey have cost $4,000, ooo-$15oo a 8
age, exsaasive of the cost Of print b
ng, which is very probably $25O,ooo b
more. We think the Treasurer's re, +
,orts would show larger sum; but
one year we have had to
AXE our statistics from the Statutes
hem selves. When we think that
his enormous sum would have buiitfl
.-Railroad from Shreveport to New
Drlesn,sswith its era Of lifs and pros
pstisf Eft il time to examine the
sartI OF legislation; whether we are
noe TAying too much fertas whistle,
and Whether we cannot. do as we'll
xish asless number Of whistles than
~ have been buying.
We have stated the cost Of these
6fstntes at $500 page, not for the
pnrpossHof intimating that q greater ]
upabef d pages would have made
snsk bassaln my better, but tosim.
press upon TN public mind, bow
Costly tits % wife pages uponssAeI
..St,tute books, ana how important itff
ID IA write los6ISg there which, the
Epd6iie velfan dles not imperioualyl
demand
| ID tllfs iassssant legislation about
any hIng md everything, these Sta,
|tstea ofnine years resemble those of
many other years in. Louisiana, and
theysviill serve or purpose to illus
trates how much il useless and for
|eign to the purpose Of lsgislation;-
how much of that which is useful
Foam be enacted by other means, and
how much is change and modiaca-
ton Of existing law, when no neces
tsity demanded them. / sEtssg
Of legislation which Is useless or
perhaps more accurately described as
foreign to the purpose OF legislation,
we may enumerate private bills, such
ss changing names, for adoption, for
irelief of individuals andsresolutionsi
form adopted by the Legislature of
expressing their opinion about
Things in general, opinions, 70 which
aobody but themselves attach the
slightest Importance. We must also
!. incluie as useless the militia bills
i EveTybodys but Legislatures know
that the militia is nuisance in peace
and burlesque in danger-a mere
historical curiosity, now only used
!, lby the Circus and the Theater IN
ftheir best farces, sndayet page after
of THE military iciio1 Allssour Sta
tute books. @ y
The class of legislation which ",
{ have designated as useful, hut which
!. can be-enacted by other merns thar
tiny tile costly proceedings cfreal leg
/, |islation, are charters of 'private cor
po,ations. The general provision
II our law for chartering snch corpor
atoms are, or with very little amend
o nent, woull he all that could be de
sired. Under them all the right
! and powers can be granted that an
n Legislature ought to grant, and the
,eI are an absolute safeguard agains
d the creation of such monopolies 9
n now infest our State under speci'
: Legislation. We think these gener'
d laws would be greatly improved h
,e requiring the approval Of the Di
re trict Judge of the domicil Of the 90
i. poration 10 be created, and softl
n. Governor, instead Of the approval
in the District Attorney. The pag
=. of the Statute book covered BY u
- Iehartersl Of these corporations q
il hundreds upon hundreds, and
n $500 a page make avery formid
on BILE sum. 4..fI l.s.sl....
no Perhaps municipal, corporation
! Icharters! OF towns of not more th'
ID 5000 inhabitants can also be provi
" ed for BY general Law, without {
to ltriment to the excellence Of I
as charter, and with great saving
in the State. fifs! .agi sFsl
he With this large amount 81 mat
ate removed from the halls II Of lsgislati
nts there would remain only that VIII
in is strictly legislation, and constitu
lily but small portion Of the 1000 pa
it's Of the Statutes Of nine years Il
Il much Of this could have been !
pensed with can be judged BY
, az slight changes which it has made