The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1878-01-14
s.EassIArrvE REFORM.

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s.EassLAT1vE REFORM. iH
- r5G ts
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Wsee MAS "een ss"he AN" W"ae V"s"'
Net To He Done.
Ntw fr,1 n ana Ja,n,srv m. 1873
'
yolr Journal, under The headipg Of Measures
off ReforIhs' you say: 'eEbe present LegislA-
t,He has, ftch fnine of. extravaganza and
atnlse TO explore and RECLAIM" And ydsl thelSs-
upon make suggestions as to some OF the
abuses requiring remedy. Being member ot
the General Assembly, claiming noparticalar
personal merit, but actuated as believe, with
ti1e honest desire OF remedying. as far as !
can, any existing abuse, and believing that
!. beenlalready accomplished as also az TO what
can reasonably be done ut the present session,
4 Y proposed TINT yon open column IN the
ylnMOoHAT IN whlch tne suggestions oI on y
Cltl1en, aS 10 REFORMS required, may be MADE,
THUS giving 10 the members OF the General AS
Y tembly some idea 81 what, practically, Is ex-
pected from them; the suggestions, OF course,
NOT I'd pe ganerttiltes btI tope speTlnc. should
l, Tor one VIII do, all in my power to
Teall7e fttenl! Should on the other hand,
they seem 70 me to want either Feasibility or
be dnfectiye IN other respects, VIII give, daily,
nNxfinmM communication, In alimited degree.
RsNHtRn 4he peQple ana the members Of the
General Assembly.
IA execution Of this suggestion, which take
tne % liberty 81 making, and which,, IL is hoped,
VIII meet your consideration and approval.
now nutaae The various measures TO which
your eClltUrinl has kindly drnWp attention. y
I'M remodeling OF the judicial system !.
.1.1Ha gprfectivn OF the abuses growing out
OF tha system of Justices 81 the peace
p Inc PROVISION OF the constitution as TO
mix8d sdhools.
q Article l32 OF the constitution, requiring
tRe division Oi lands, to be eSpunged. + "
strict vag1ant law.
AL these reforms are needed but can only
be dune by constitutional revision, to which
end legislation is already depending In the
deneral Assembly, and will Doubtless be acted
slIi. 30 mr as legislation could remedy them
the salaries Of the parish Judges throughout
thns State were reduced as Low as possible.
and tfIa redistrtifing of the State BY bill in
rous,,ced ior that purpose was prevented by a
declsion pl we supreme Court, which enmn-
ciateu the doctrine OF the unconstltutionality
OF such measure.
Ih6 operation Of thclhrticle. OF the constft'l.
hons as 10 the division OF lands, was rendered
nugatory by inc last General Assembly, 1t hav.
ing repealed the law pointing out the mode of
llyldlng the lands, the Supreme Court
lI,idellng 81 having decided that article to be
nuI Isei-exeacuting, s. put aepefdent for Its eye
cution on .ne exlstence III tne statute book OF Il
law ulrectlng the manner of the DIVISION
The Justices OF the. peace being constitu-
uonai onceIs, We're, OF course not subject TO
fe,nova,p py the Legislature but thelr Tees IN
oIlIlLal cases wel9 largely eurtailea ana thelr
Eow..eiss as nol'',nttuhg n,aRlstrates 30 Hucm
tnat was properly within the ieglslatlve reach;
Inc lstAtute DOCKS OF thls State are tull Oh
yagTanI Jaws, "nien nave all peeh uniformly
aeclared unoonStltutlohal, ana the best legal
subject but deiiciency OF legislative power
anequaIe 10 the enactment OF law on TINS
charac.er. AT tne iasI session OF the General
Az ihssem,hay ,ih vagrant act PASSED the House
. "a. uu .loe nass tl,e 5silaue, because OF the
aayerse report OF the Judiciary Committee.
liner, mere Was universal desire Tor such leglsla-
Mon, Wnich was presehlIIesa solely by the con
s..tutlonai ss...a onlectoh; II any lawyer IN the
SIate ein frame q law on ths subject not
ainei,ab,e 70 the objection OF constitutionality
by which those presently, existing have been
allnill!es' aNVsuptsss IL VIII receive que consld-
GRAFTON. or course, under this view the
remedy fs IN the revision OF the constitution,
70 Wnacn n1 relorenoe mas been already made
y. Inc people demand thatevery superlluous
This is too vague for comment. That such
.i.l nelana eAsusas sel.eSiaent. e' .lhat desire
nonestly 70 acromplls,l ths result IS dominant
ih the ueneIii Assembly Is equally obvious;
but the question Is, what are the superiluous
onices AND upon this subject the specific
proposals referred TO by me are asked Tor and
may be valuable.
~ :. A le'os ~ III we . llethtH vi SoiieclnS Ihe
revenues OF the State, which will save large
sums 70 Ihe commonwealth.
AT the last session an assessing and collect
ing law was passed, which, although crude in
some OF its provisions, caused by the absence
Y q al data, ana costly in some minor particn,
iars, is probably the most economical method
ever existing in the State. The assessors be-
fore the war Revised Statutes Of 1856, p, 46s),
We're paid per cent upon all taxes, including
licenses. Under the present law, they get
per cent upon the first S4o,o GOO, and per cent
alone; The collectors, before the war, country
ana city, We're paid 10 per cent upon the first
$4,000, per cent upon all sums above $4,000 and
up 10 $4,000, and ON all sums above $4,000 3
Pc cent, and 10 per cent on all licenses.