The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-08

the Secretary Of State has found the returns
upon the amendments, and his submission OF
them to the Legislature, as In the instance OF
the amendments voted on In 1876, with the
declaration that It Is impossible for him to
reach any conclusion from the returns, In
order to satisfy any reasonable man Of the
utter impracticability OF amending the con-
stitution by the direct vote OF the people at a
general election. The Times goes on to OBJ
serve:
1t IL true that constitutional offices cannot
De abolished by the Legislature, but 1t is
equally true that the salaries of most OF them
are subject to legislative reduction.
The salary OF not single constitutional
officer, except the per diem Of members of the
General Assembly, can be touched by the
Legislature. Except In this respect the Leg
islature is powerless to reduce the current ex-
penses OF the government one dollar.
g. Is is claimed that any Of these offices
are unnecessary?
Answer-It certainly is claimed, and has
been proclaimed from the hustings all over
the State. that many of them are useless and
ought to be abolished, and that the salaries
Of all should be greatly reduced. 1t is
claimed, and justly, that by the reduction OF
the number and the salaries of officials in the
judiciary department alone, fully 100000 can
be saved to the State annually, and far
more efficient court system secured at the
same time.
3. Assuming that the Legislature can re-
duce the salaries Of constitutional officers,
| and that 1t Ia not proposed to abolish any Of
these, the Times asks: "Then where Is the
necessity of a convention as regards the ex-
pense in that direction?"
| In replying to the two preceding questions
we have also answered this convention Is
necessary to reduce the salaries OF officials
and to get rid OF number Of useless offices,
which can be abolished by no other process
or authority, and, generally, to organize a
more efficient and economical government.
| Our contemporary Is also OF the opinion
| that the Legislature is thoroughly competent
to deal concusively with the State finances
There is but one way In which it can do so,
| and that Is by enforcing the utmost limit OF
taxation against the people. The conditions
OF the State debt and the annual interest due
on 1t are fixed by the amendments Of 1874,
and no Legislature has any authority to treat
with the States creditors, or to alter In any
respect the constitutional provisions in re-
gard to this matter. There Is very general
opinion In this State that the present rate OF
interest cannot be paid; that it should be re-
duced to 4 per cent, and that convention can
come to satisfactory arrangement with the
creditors Of the State; in short, that q con-
vention only can deal satisfactorily and con-
clusively with this question and that 1t should
be referred to convention.
As for the inference to be drawn from the fate
of the amendments, we care nothing about
them, whether they have been carried or lost.
The wishes Of the people and of the Demo-
cratic party were declared through the med-
UNI always selected for the expression OF po-
litical opinion, at Baton Rouge, in popular
party convention. That convention declared
for a constitutional convention, formulated
that declaration in the party platform, the
campaign was made on that issue, the Demo
cratic members OF the Legislature were elected
on 1t, and that settles the matter. We leave
specifications and details to the Times at this
late day. As for ourselves we do not propose
to go over the campaign again for our con-
temDOrary'S benefit,