The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-05-30
Cousid GRAFTON Of the Report Of the
Committee on Legislative
Department.
ALVEY Discussion Over the Offices Of the
Secretary Of State and superintend
ent of Public Education.
The Latter Abolished by Vote OF GA TO 40.

seventy members present.
Delegate Caffrey arose to personal ex-
planation. In the New Orleans Times. Of
Thursday, statement ls made In an edi-
torial, that "the Committee on State Debt
was selected by Lieut.. Gov. Witt, who was
fully conscious of the Importance Of the aues
tion coming before 1t and Of Its stupendous
issues involved In its action. and 1t is not to
be supposed that he chose any but the best
material at disposal" @
Delegate Caffrey went On to show that the
President OF the Convention did not appoint
the members Of the Committee on State Debt.
but their names were suggested by congress
s,onal districts three members being sug-
aested by each district.
THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
The report Of the Committee on Executive
Ueua rtnent WAS taken up, article by article.
The first article was read: A
Anr. -. The executive department shall con
siat 81 Governor. Lieutenant Governor. Attor-
ney General, Auditor, Treasurer audi Supern-
tendent OF Public Education.
Delegate Leake moved to substitute Sec
rotary OF State for the Superintendent of
Public Education. Speaking on his motion,
Delegate Ieake said that 1t was more i'm
portant to have q Secretary Of State than
Superintendent of Education. The former
could not only transact the duties Of his own
office but also those pertaining to the latters
Office. He thought 1t better to have Secre-
tary Of State elected by the people than ap-
pointed by the Governor.
Delegate Breanx claimed that the office OF
Secretary Of State was merely clerical one,
and It's duties could easily be performed by any
one Of ordinary capacity. On the other hand,
1t required d man OF peculiar talents and ex-
perience to act as head Of the educational
system Any system which had no head was
sure TO go to pieces IN time The duties of
the Secretary OF States office could be per-
formed properly by the Governors private
secretary. Mr. Breaux quoted from the ap-
preparations for the year 1879 TO show the
great expense incurred by the Secretary of
States office. He claimed that the State, In
her present poverty-strlcken condition, could
not afford TO pay $4,000 or more per annum
for the purpose OF keeping up useless
office.
Delegate McGloin spoke In advocacy of Del
egate Leakes motion: He asserted that the
Committee on Education had agreed that one
OF the two Offices. Secretary of State and Su
perintendent of Public Education, could be
dispensed with. One Of them was q sinecure
and should be abolished. After discussing the
question the Committee on Public Education
had come to the conclusion that the office OF
Superintendent of Public Education could be
dispensed with without damage to the educ \
tional interests of the State, and with consid
cradle saving to the States expenses.
Delegate Poche said that, as u member OF
the Committee ON Public Education. he re-
GREETED that the Committee on Executive De
partment had presented the report Mt this
time His committee, after mature delibera-
ton, had concluded to abolish the Office Of
superintendent, entrusting the management
OF public schools to State board Of educa-
ton and to local boards. and devolying the
present duties OF the superintendent to the
Secretary of State Hearing that the execu-
tive committee proposed to abolish the latter
Office, they provoked the appointment of two
conference committees FOR the purpose OF
ter. But now. without waiting the action OF
these committees, this report is before us,
and the Convention is now to decide which of
these two offices La to be abolished. In adv0-
eating the retention of the Office of the Secre-
tary Of State, he would not repeat the whole
list of his functions and duties, which are
well known to the members. But. as 1t
10 alleged that said Office is unimportant,
he would ask the Convention whether an
officer is Of no Importance, when he Is the
keeper of the great seal or the State: who is
the returning officer of elections; who Is a
member Of all executive boards; who has
charge OF all matters pertaining to foreign in
surance companies. who has control Of the
system OF weights and measures; who has
the duty of compiling, numbering, indexing
and publishing the laws of the State; who has
even the power to decide when an act Of the
Legislature becomes q law without the sigma
ture OF the Governor, and other important
functions. On the other hand latter reading |
from pamphlet ennmerating the duties
and powers Of the Superintendent we see
that almost all his duties are merely
by the Secretary Of State. In the
next place, the plan OF substituting |
that Office, suggested by the executive COM
mittee, deprives the people Of choosing such I
an important officer. and vests the appoint /
ment OF that important officer to the Gov
ernor; whereas. undei. the amendment the
office remains under the controof the people.
As TO economy, by the executive committees
HNIp ysn,
under the amendment the system would cost
only $4,000 a year. Hence the amendment
should prevail, whether viewed from the
relative Importance OF the two offices, or from
the proposed new mode Of appointment, or
from the standpoint of economy.
Delegate Heron opposed the amendment.
He read letter from the agent Of the Pea
body fund, In which is was stated that the
amount now contributed from that fund to
the public schools of the State would be
withdrawn II the Office OF superintendent OF
education was abolished, and the speaker
office.
Delegate Cunningham favored the amend
ment. He believed that the public schools
could be better conducted by local boards,
and insisted that the Office Of Secretary OF
State should be retained. He now counted
the votes, and he represented the people 1t
was proposed that he should be appointed BY
the Governor. In that case he would still
count the votes, but he would represent, not
the people, but the Governor. This was
power that should not be taken from, the
people.
Delegate Leake again urged the adoption
Of this amendment. He regarded the letter
of the agent OF the Peabody fund. If it meant,
as he contended it did not that the office Of
Of Education, or Mr.. Lusher.
should be retained, as a defiance OF this body
l. this was what II meant 1t was good rea-
son why his amendment should be iopted
Delegate Bryan explained the ac ion Of the
mi ttaa ND Sat hA lnls ,b,,
majority in the report aboishing the office OF
of State.
Delegate Parlange explained the action of
the committee.
Delegate Sutherlin was in favor of retain
ing the Secretary Of State, and was heartily
in favor of abolishing the Office of Saperin-
tendent of Public Education. Ii the Office
Of Secretary of State was abolished and the
private secretary of the Governor was author
lied to perform the duties now devolvng upon
that office, the Governor would really have
possession of the great seal of the State and
Of the canvass Of the votes. This would be