Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1878-02-20
The Amendments.

y. -. Times, ana Is puDllsneu oe
cause it furnishes u very good idea
OF what those persons in the State
capital, who favor the amendments,
think about the situation. The
Democrat is violently urging con.
vcntion - the Times is opposed
thereto:
There is every prospect that
the constitutional amendments will
pass the House TO day by an
overwhelming vote. The discus.
sions ON Monday developed no real
opposition to the amendments. Mr..
Leonard, of Caddo, who made the
most sensible and effective of all the
arguments III favor ola Convention,
said:
ITO the amendments suggested,
considering them merely as amend
mcnts. have no serious objections,
and believe they should be IN sub.
/ stance embodied in the constitution.
but am convinced that the evils
/ now existing can be remedied only
( by means of constitutional con.
. ycntion."
/ This is an admission of what no
candid and intelligent person could
/ very well deny, and constitutes a
fresh commentator of the amend.
mcntS, If. indeed. anything be re.
qnircd to secure their adoption by
the House. 1t is noticeable that
none of the advocates of the Conven.
ton have been able tourge irrational
objection To the amendments. The
prOpricty and usefulness of those
which have been proposed are re.
cognlzed on every hand. The only
complaint is that they do not cover
MI the points requiring treatment.
Mr. Leonard says, in his minority
report:
The amendments suggested, if &c.
cepicd by the Legislature and al.
opted by the people, will perhaps re.
move some OF those burdens. But
why should any be left which can be
removed! Instead of amending BY |
plcccmeal constitution conceded to |
be lnlmical to the interests of the |
State, it would seem wiser to fame
Il new constitution, and thereby |
remedy not only the evils attempted |
to he rcmcdied by the proposed |
amendments, but also the many
others recognized as resulting from
The present constitution"
1t is the same evasion that was re.
sorted to i'll the beginning of the SEES.
'fon-ohlectlng TO every proposed I
'eiorm because it did not remedy at
me stroke all evils the State was
aborlng under. 1t was the refuge
If our legislative Skimpolcs who
Wished to do nothing and excused
themselves on the plea that they
'ould not do everything at once.
But Mr.. Leonard and those who
Constitute his following at present
Mr.. Wise and the rest of the
lnti.amcndmcnt men-will find that
'nbllc sentiment will not Justify
heir course Oh the ground they
lave chosen to occupy. A vast
majority of the people favor the
amendments i'm lieu of
convention at this time; because
hose amendments contain as much
reform rs could he expect.
Il from a convention under existing
circumstances, and because the
'tatc Is not prepared To sustain the
Npense ana excitement of canyen
ion and two elections. With these
mcndmcn,S adopted. and the pass.
re of the Motfett register law sc.
nred, the financial condition of the
tate would be established on n safe
MI lasting basis and material re-,
uctlon of taxation would at once
ecome practicable. Conservative
ltizcns vastly prefer this certainty.
D the disturbance and suspense
'hlch would be attendant upon the
fllihg OF Il Convention. the cost of
hlch would be large and inevitable
nd the benefits at best problemati.
ii. The people are satisfied with
ov. Nichols. They have received
evidence ofhis ability and
itriotiSm, and are only too well
,ntent to follow him through his
tministration, with the relief that
Ill be involved in the amendments
DIV before the House. There is no
narantec that II convention would
feet any improvement on this, or |
lat a new election would not
the advantages ard the