The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-08-14
AN OUTSIDE VIEW.
What is Thought Of Louisiana's New Con.
stitution Elsewhere It's Oharac-
teIistic Features.
THnIyeston News


The constitution framed by the LAT Consti-
tutional Convention OF Louisiana, and which
Is to be submitted to the vote of the people OF
that State In December, has received less at
tention than 1t merits. On the whole this
document Is an emphatic illustration OF a ten
dency iii all the States. when revising their
organic law to abIidge the powers Oh ordi-
nary legislation and to impose new
restrictions upon all classes Of chartered
corporations. In the present Instance, under
the title OF Limitation on Legislative Pow
ers," there are no less than thirty-fve distinct
prohibitions. The second Of these declares
that "the General Assembly shall have no
power to contract or to authorize the con-
tracing Of any debt or liability on behalf of
the State, OF to issue bonds OF other evidenr >
Of Indebtedness there 81, except for the pur-
pose oil repelling invasion or for the suppress
sion OF nsurrection.' This goes beyond a
similar provision In the Texas constitution,
which allow s q margin of 100000 to cover
possible deficiencies. Thus not an inch Of
room Is left for the possibility Of the State
government, except In case of invasion or in
surreeticn, expanding more in any one year
than the revenue for that year. In ordinary
ton Of debts Is taken away, and the pay-as-
you-go rule is made constitutional neces-
sity. The State tax on property for all pur-
poses is fixed at six mills on the dollar ii the
ordinance regarding the funded debt Of the
State II ratified by the people, at five mills on
the dollar if the ordinance is not ratified.
There Is no reputation Of the principal Of
the consolidated debt, much OF which in origin
was VIGOROUSLY tainted with fraud and in
iquity. The ordinance If ratified, will simply
mean the voluntary and deliberate agreement
OF the people OF Louisiana to shoulder the
whole debt on the single condition of render
ing the burden tolerable in the matter Of an
nual payments Of interest. They have been
sneered at by financial magnates as o default
ing and bankrupt community. They at least
seem resolved to do to The utmost OF their re-
sources toward carrying and ultimately dis
charging every dollar even of their question
able Indebtedness. This may well appear -
very absurd kind Of bankruptcy to financial
magnates, who, when they fall, are accus-
tings and savings salted away, and leave
unwary creditors out In the cold holding
windy bags. Apart from this feature of the
newly framed constitution OF Louisiana, there
is evidence OF q somewhat fevefish desire In
the people and their delegates to preoccupy
the field and anticipate the occasions OF Ordi
nary legislation. In TINS We have another
melancholy commentary on the general eN
perience of the country with the follies and
abuses Of legislative authority entrusted to
the avers ge Representative Assembly. Every
new Constitutional Convention seems more
eager than Its predecessors to pile up limita-
lions on Legislative powers. The evils that
have taught the people to distrust their Leg
islative Representatives are great and scan
dalous indeed, but it Is questionable whether
the remedy lies In deprlving representative
government almost wholly Of discretion and
ability