St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1878-03-16
Some Of the Causes which Led
to am Extra Session.
fFrom the n. O. Times. March 9th. /


There was considerable talk among
members OF the legislature yesterday
| before the extra session convened, con
| cerniug the causes which brought abuu
! hat state of affairs which made an rX
ira session necessary. OF course there
| were different causes assigned, huC 1t i!
| safe to say that the prevailing opinion
seemed to be that the House had utlaye,
| action upon the most important meas
ules untitthe last days OF the session
and when these measures were finally
passed and sent to the Senate 1t was toe
late for the Senate to give them proper
/ consideration.
During the whole session the Senate
has almost daily cleared it's calendar
| and that too, without lengthy or even
lug sessions. The reveuut, apprOpria-
ton, Motfett register and apporllonmen1
bills, which ought to have been among
the very first bills acted Oh by this
House, were not acled upon until The
session had almost expired. The time
OF the House Was taken up with talk
upon matters of only minor Importance
with the exception, perhaps, of the con
stltutiOnal amendments and the mileage
and per diem bill.
The real truth is that the dominant
party was without organization and too
many Of the members wanted to talk
rather than settle down to work. Ap-
parently more than half ut the Demo-
cratic members thought that they ought
TO lead their party, and when they
found that they couldn't they were un-
willing to fall into the ranks and fol-
low the lead OF somebody else. 1t has
been said, aud perhaps truthfully, that
there was not Il single agreement made
in caucuS-and there were very few
caucuses-tliat was strictly kept on the
door of the House.
The dominant party did not work har-
ANONYMOUSLY and unitedly together. There
Nas ii lack of sympathy between tlIs
lie members growing out OF, the tact.
perhaps, that Il portion OF them We're
anxious tor IA constitutional convention,
md regarded it as Il party necessity
while another, and by far the largest
portion, wished to remedy the evils i'll
he present constitution 10y amendments
Ind save the excitement and expense ot
Il convention. The consequence was
that there was no disposition to take
nold of the work of legislation syste-
Iuatically and earnestly.
They drifted along in an aimless un-
certain way that indicated from the
Ue.
They now see, and do not hesitate to
acknowledge it, that they ought to have
ilad thOrough ii organization, with chosen
eaders, upon all important questions.
md that, before acting upon the f1nl
If the House, ii thorough understanding
should have been arrived at i'll caucus.
1t cannut BIZ said that the Republicans
retarded leglSlatlOii. It ls trne they
we're we'll organized and well led, bur
they did not, as a party, attempt to
ninder or retard any bill except that
providing for the re-appOrtlOnment Ot
tlie State. This was Il party lheasure,
aud of course it WAS expected they would
oppose it. Only one day, however, Was
consumed upon it.
Upon all other matters of legislation
they rather sought to hasten than i'm
pede action, and from the first We're op
posed to all extra session, not SD mucit
perhaps from economical motives as for
the reason that they believed that the
longer the legislature remained Ill ses-
lion the greater was the danger that
there might be legislatIun harmful t"
their party.
But while the House is in a great
measure responsible for the extra ses-
sion, it is perhaps but just to say that 1t
could have been avoided had the Senate
chosen to act promptly on the general
appropriation bill.
ii this bill had been passed the gov
ernor would not have issued his pro-
clamation, since it is reported that he
was very strongly opp"std 10 caliing the
the wheels Of government would have
been blocked without the passage of
the appr0priation bill. The Senate had
sufficient time to consider this bill it it
had been SO disposed. 1t reports al'e
correct however, there were two ele-
ments at work to prevent it's passage 50
us to force an extra session. These ele-
meuts we're those who are favOring a
convention, and those
who deem the appOrtionment bill a party
necessity.
Without an extra session there was no
hope for eitllerOf these measures. With
an extra session one OF them at least
might he successful. 1t seems that the
dominant party in the Senate kept very
uuiet their intention and il was known
10 all of the Democrats of the House
and, perhaps, not to the governor, what
the Senate intended to do until it re-
fused to take up the appropriation bill,
This was as late as nine O'clock in the
evening of the last night OF the session.
There is no doubt but that a majority
of the Democratic members of the House
were opposed TO an extra session.
While every member regards the
regular session as almost a barren one,
vet the members feel that they have
lone in committees and in other ways Il
large amount of work. 1t is fact that
they baye been very regular in their
in the sessions, and have
Looked after rtl,eircommittee duties con-
The
EXTRA SESSION
will be devoted first to those measures
mentioned by the governor. They will
IN all occasions be given preference.
The session, il continued the entire fit-
teen days, will cost about S25t tQW. It is
hoped, however, that the session will be
concluded in less time, but the chances
sre against it.
An Eastern editor says a man in New
York got himself into ,ouble by marry
ng two wives. A Northern editor Ie-
plies by saying he knew number OF
men who had Dtinto trouble by marry
ng one. A Southern editor reterts by
saving he knows of some who got into
5rouble by merely promising. tn marry
without going any further. A Western
.diter closts up the list by saying that a
.riend of his got into tranhle enough
~ being found with another mans
wife.
PITTSBURGH editor has been found |