The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-05-23
RESPECTFUL SUGGESTIONS TO THE
CONVENTION.
"A Board or Bureau Of Public Works, Etc.

NO. III.
Let us now group together the Immense
and varied interests Of the State, that have
been for years lying round loose, subject TO
punder and waste and try to show roughly
or crudely what proper bureau or commits
sion would have to attend to. They should
attend to the following, and perhaps other
matters:
|. Supervise inspect, and to some extent
control, the different public properties OF the
State; attend to the construction and pre-
servatlon Of public buildings; and make sales
OF purchases, as the Legislature may direct.
g. Attend to the improvement of the navi-
CATION of our rivers, bayous and lakes: and
investigate and report, when required on
public improvements connected herewith,
and on proper regime for the fuvial sys-
TEN Of Louisiana as vel, raa as on ato schemes OF
g. Inspect and look after the railroads to see
II the laws are complied with, and the roads,
bridges, etc, kept In safe order for public
travel and carriage; also to see that the law
full yearly report Is made and nied III the ar
chives or library.
4. Have superintendence of the public lands
and the reclamatiOnS or improvements there
Of power to suspend from entry or sale such
as are undergoing public reclamation or I'M
DruVeneUU, uuu duIIOIlbyt uuuCl lCts
regulations, to sell, either through private
entry, at public sale, at auction or otherwise
s. Supervise the public levees and drainage,
seeing to the work being done by contract or
State force, as hereinafter suggested. must
saw here that the old system of the riparian
owners making the levees, with public aid for
big works under local supervision, and taxa,
ton seems to be the only reliable one. And
as to the Mississippi and Red river levee sys-
tenn, the States Interested should with the
~ ~ toto
Federal aid may never become reliable. IL
found very costly, 1t will be subject OF party
and sectional contention, and finally dropped;
and our then condition will be worse than the
present If we do not meanwhile repent,
In deep disaster, that we sought foreign aid
for an essentially home and vital interest.
g. Direct and aid, und 4 Legislative pro
vision, a thorough geological, meteorological
and a Typographical survey, and publication
OF the report.
7. Promote agriculture and manufactures
by proper organization and wise methods.
No State has better capacity for these great
interests, and none has done 50 little: Com
merce, being naturally methodic and collec-
tive In action on general interests, requires no
8. Aid immigration; that which Is unsolic-
tied, self-moving, and comes because this -
good State to settle in. Gather data for I'M
migrants and authenticate and scatter the
same Negotiate for tracts for colonies on
the one hand and for colonists on the other,
etc.
But must draw towards close. Other
uses and benefits Of such board, bureau or
commission might be set forth. Some might
prefer different organism for these pur-
poses. l only aim to excite thought. All will
agree that these are duties to be done for the
people by some Of its agency.
We the people Of Louisiana have once
already deliberated on and adopted the plan
of such board, though no proper organiza-
ton and trial of it has ever been had. The
constitution of 1852 contains the following
There shall be board Of public works to
consist Of four commissioners. The State
shall be divided by the Legislature into four
districts, containing, as nearly as may be, an
equal number of voters; and one commits
sioner shall be elected from each district by
the legal voters thereof for the term Of four
years.
Respectfully B. J. s.