The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-02-17
Needed Reforms.
[Amite independent

AS YOU have opened the columns OF the
Ipdependent to writers on the constitutional
convention question, l avail my sell OF TINS
opportunity to give few las think common
sense ideas on this all-absorblng Topic.
have been an advocate OF the convention ever
since the people of the State obtained control,
believing that it alone could give the people
relief; and now that 1t is fixed fact, the
people should see to it that honest, capable
delegates are sent to the convention. The
test should be-is the candidate honest,
Is he competent? If he, lacks either
Of these qualifications, he is un-
fit to be a delegate. | sincerely trust such
men will be elected. One other suggestion
under this head-we don't want any holders
| Of State bonds in the convention.
| The people demand cheap, economical
government. The Governor should be put on
| a salary of $4,000, instead OF $4,000 as 1t now
| is. Abolish the Office Of Lieutenant Govern,
or-let the Senate elect its own President, and
and in case OF vacancy In the office OF Gov
ernor let the President OF the Senate be GOV
ernor There is no more use for Lieutenant
| Governor than there is for fifth wheel on
wagon.
This office which cost the State in the year
1877 SIS ITO, and in the year 1878 S22, 220l, was
| unknown to Louisiana under the conStltu
tions of 1872, 1845 and 1852. 1t was created
| by statute after the adoption OF the constltu'
| tion of 1852 and has since been incorporated
| in the constitutions of 1864 and 1868. Fol
nearly forty years no such an ofhce was
| known to the State government of Louisiana
and the Treasurer performed the duties
which both now perform. 1t is too expensive
a luxury to keep up in these hard times. INT
Treasurer salary, also, should be reduced u
$4,000, and that OF the Attorney General TO tn'
same amount.
The office of Superintendent of Public Ed
ucation is perfect nuisance, and should o'
abolished. The Office costs the taxpayer
over $4,000 per year. Abolish it! Let tn
question of public education be RENTED U
the parishes and the city of New Orleans.
Let registration of voters be abolished, ant
in lieu of registration certificate Il see yol
have already suggested this, Mr.. Editor,( le
the voter show his poll tax receipt, and le
the poll tax gathered in each parish go int
the public school fund of that parish. Abolis
the parish judge system, and create the OF
district court system which existed under tn
constitution of 1852, with judges salary a
$4,000 and district attorneys on salary {
$1,000. Let the judges and district attorney
be lawyers OF at least ten years practlc
! Reduce the supreme judges salary froI
$500 and $1,000 to $4,000 for chief justice an
, S4500 for associate justices.
Abolish the present system OF eectln
ninety-eight Representatives and thlrty-Sl
Senators. Forty-five Representatives an
fifteen Senators is plenty to do all the leglsli
ton necessary for Louisiana. Take the votin
population and divide by forty-five and fiftee
and you have the representative number, an
; divide the State, regardless OF parish line
into representative and senatorial district
, By this means better Representatives an
/, Senators will be elected, and thousands
dollars saved to the tax payers.
Let the sheriff be ex-officio tax collector, al
let the parishes employ their own COLLECTORS.