St. Landry democrat., 1884-03-01
a GOOD RECORD.

A Good Record.
Hon. Robt. S, Perry, State Senator
from the Iberia district during the past
four years, has just published an ad-
dress to his constituents, from which
we extract the following:
In 1880, pursuant to Articles 300 and
201 of the State Constitution, secured
ton OF unworthy officials. 1t voted
against Act SO.
In 1882, / voted, among other things,
to submit a constitutional amendment
abolishing and forbiding lotteries in
the State; to repeal the peDitentiary
lease for the amendment looking to
tiual and amicahle settlement of the
debt question and its elimination from
politics and litigation. | introduced,
II ong others, a bill requiring railroads
to enclose their roads; a bill to regulate
their rates and to prevent discrimina-
tons and black lists; bill requir-
ing them to keep open their en- bank
ments so as to avoid damming up the
waters Of freshets, OverflOws and natu-
raj drains, and supported the bill throw
ing on them the burden of proof in cases
of injuries to property. IalsO.introduc-
ed bills requiring judges to decide all
cases within ten days; prohibiting
them from closing term sessions before
being required to do SO by the; necessity
OF holding court elsewhere, and reQuir-
ing them to hold open their daily ses-
si0ns for at least six hours, unless the
business, be sooner disposed OF. Also
bill to punish judges for giving advice
in cases within their jurisdiction, and
~ A,sr vtar nk,H lnp
more effective the public road service.
On application OF over five hundred of
the citizens of st. Martin, had appoint
ed a legislative committee 60 inquire
how the laws were administered in that
and the parish OF Iberia, and in response
to report of the Auditor included, in the
investigation, the Tax Collectors offices
for those parishes.
That these and other measures sug-
gested, or supported me, failed or
partially failed was no fault OF mine.
In addition, submit the following
remarks:
Articles 45, 24S and 25s Of the Consti-
tuition had abolished the mOnOpolistic
and only Objectionable features of the
Slaughterhouse charter. So it appeared
from those articles themselves-sO it
had already been decided by the Su-
preme Court in SO A, and so it has since
been decided in 25A. Others and my
self opposed the repeal OF what was left
of that charter, being merely the right
to carry on a legitimate and necessary
business in free competition with 9TH
ers, in their corporate capacity and
name, and in the exercise of which
rights the stockholders were supported
by the United States Constitution. We
opposed the proposed repeal also be-
cause Constitution Art. 348 had taken
away from the Legislature jurisdiction
over the subject matter and had con-
ferred it exclusively In the par0chial
and municipal authorities, a position
supported and yindicated by decisions
above mentioned.
We also urged that there were then
pending before the Supreme Court of
the United States, two cases in which
Articles 24S and 256, as applicable to
that charter, were involved and that
the decision of that Court would finally
dispose OF the matter. That q legisla-
tive repeal, less authoritative than al
constitutional abr0gatiOn, would but
multiply litigation without benefit to
anyone.
Railroads are the greatest of all con
yeniences to the people. They should
De encouraged 4 Gbs bI5 p6OplBS lOE
whose benefit their franchises are grant
ed, should be protected from the arbi-
traly acts and carelessness OF their en-
plOyes. These corporations are inn
Intensely powerful through their fran
chises, their wealth and their control of
the conntry's commerce. Power itches
unutterably forRmore power. VIII the
people complain of an attempt to pro-
tect them
Though these measures failed, it is
noticeable that, since 1889, in this sec
ton, the roads have opened their em-
bankments, determinations have been
seldom heard of and black lists never.
In the matter of enclosing their lines,
the roads are meeting property owners
half way and system of enquiry, esti-
nation and of compensation for injuries
to property, has been established.
Delays of the Courts and the ineffi-
cheney of the judges and other officials
are subjects of common complaint.
Laws to correct these evils were need
ed. | sought to supply them. They
were intended to protect the good from
the bad, as the law to punish murder is
to protect the quiet and peaeeable from
the DULLES and murderers of society.