The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-06-19
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENTS.

THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENTS.
AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE.
The members of the General Assnm-
bly, shall be paid a salary of Eve hun
bred dollars $500 per session, and
actual travelling expenses by the near
est practicable route, not to exceed
fifty dollars ($50) for any one member /;
provided, that if two sessions are held
in the same year they shall receive for
the second session in that year salary
of only two hundred and fifty dollars
($25O) and actual travelling expenses
by the nearest practicable route, not
to exceed fifty dollars ($50) for any
one member. The regular biennial
session shall not exceed ninety days
in duration, unless by vote of two.
thirds of the members elected to each
house of the General Assembly.
Strike ont article thirty nine.)
This Amendment will put at rest
the much disputed question of the
pay of members of the Legislature,
and the amounts proposed seem to
US to be just and fair. Their pay
may be more than is absolutely nee.
essary, but we have always been in
favor Of paying the public officers a
fair salary, and in this case, if all
the amendments are adopted, as
there will be but one session in eve.
~ two years, and the Legislature
will probably be called upon to 81,
the ninety days, instead of the sixty
as now provided by law, we hardly
think the pay proposed is excessive.
The limitation as to the amount OF
mileage to be paid is a much needed
measure of reform, and has been the
occasion of much abuse in the past.
AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR.
The General Assembly shall no,
pass any local or special law changing
the venue in criminal cases, changing
the names of persons legitimating
children, vacating roads, streets or al.
leys, renting fines, penalties, and
forfeitures, or refunding moneys lie.
gally paid into the treasury; affecting
the estates of minors, or persons under
disability, exempting property from
taxation, creating any monopoly, To-
CALLING the unauthorized or invalid
acts of any officer or agent of the State,
or of any Parish or municipality
granting any extra compensation to
any public officer, agent, or contractor
after the service has been rendered
or contracted for; changing any Par.
ish seat, or creating new Parishes, ex-
cept by the assent of the majority Of
the qualified electors of the Parish, OF
Parishes, to be affected; 10 all Other
cases, where general law can be
made applicable, no local or special
law shall be passed.
The subjects embraced in this
proposed Amendment are 80 many
and varied that we find it to be i'm,
possible to treat Of them in the lin.
its of this article. However, the
language of the Amendment itself il
plain and easily understood. Many
Of the limitations of the power of the
Legislature are much needed, and
cover many of the Objectionable
features of legislation under the
Constitution of 1868. If adoped i,
will correct many abuses and simpli
fy aud cheaper legislation.
4 Observation-Disclosures
Our late Republican leaders il
Rap,dcs, who used to have thing.
their own way, must keep cool under
the new dispensation, and must mo-
insinuate beforehand fraud and trick
cry on the part Of the Democrats
because the tables are turned and W,
have the machinery now in hand
Two wrongs, from a Democratic
standpoint, can never make right
and because we have always beer
cheated in Rapides in Registration
and voting, and counting, we intent
now to see that we have a fair ant
free election. Our Colored Republi
can friends may be assured Of this
and they can rest assured that th'
DEMOCRAT will engineer its party
fairly on that line. We have expe
rienced too much cheating and bald
faced rascality here BY Republicans
have lived to fight them down, ant
now don't inted to permit our part,
to indulge in such indiscretions.
|
"A WORD now and then to on
croakers and our s'd-n phools'
vsneered with wise looks, and th,
political Dugald Dallgettys, VIII
work for cash, for profits, or place
which bring profits, may not b.
amiss or Improbable. Haul in you
horns, don't crowd to the front to-
fast, don't constitute yourselve
leaders when, as privates, you ar