The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-08-05
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promises to many of them. When
gentlemen have secured their election
to congress they rear back on great
deal of highfaluting dignity that they
| are very careful not to show when
they are themselves out annoying the
people nearly to death for their votes.
Give both sides of the question hear
ing, gentlemen.
PUTTING PICKETT.
Shreveport Progress: If we mistake
Pickett to succeed himself, but to take
a big step onward and occupy the GU
bernatorial chair. Captain Pickett is
an honest. honorable gentleman, a
friend to the people, man of ability
and self-rt lance, and would make the
people an excellent governor. The
bosses would not be pleased with him
of course, but that would he to his
credit and give him stronger hold
on the masses. 1t is time that the far
mers and laboring classes had gov
ernor of their own selection, and there
will be no better time for them to
claim him than SO and the man Cap
tain Jot II Pickett.
HORRIBLE SUSPICIOUS.
Alexandra Democrat: One of the
members of the constitutional amend
ment commission informs the reple-
sentative of a certain newspaper that
these is a universal sentiment through
out the state in favor of the abolition
of the courts of appeal. While we
are not disposed to question the cor
rectness of this statement. because we
believe there is ample foundation for
it, yet there is q strong suspicion ex-
listing in the public mind that the or
ganization of this commission was an-
thorized by the legislature for the ex-
press, but concealed purpose, OF legis-
hitting certain objectionable Judges out
of office whom 1t was impossible 70
get rid OF in any other manner.
SUFFRAGE QUALIFICATIONS.
Daily IbPrian: One of the knOtty
questions that the constitutional board
will tackle is that of suffrage, and if
we mistake not the requirement will
be that each voter must either read
and write, or possess property to the
amount of $500, and in addition to
that he must present receipt for his
poll tax for the year preceding the
election. We approve of the above
for several reasons: First. 1t will tend
to purify the ballot, for the reason
that many of the riff-raff will be de-
barred on account of the requirement.
Second. 1t will greatly increase the
school fund, for nearly every man who
is entitled to vote would rather pay
his poll tax than be disfranchised.
Again, it will give an impetus to edu-
cation that nothing else would. If our
country is controlled by the intelligent
and by the property holders we will
officials selected by them. Let us try
change for while, and then if we
don't like it we can quit.
THE POLL TAX AND SUFFRAGE.
Gretna Courier: How many OF our
patriotic citizens have ever gwen
much attention to the question of the
poll tax How few have ever consld-
| cred what great benefit would re-
dound to the educational interests
of the parish if the poll tax were col
lected even in respectable parts Ac-
cordino to the census of 1890, compil-
/ ed by Ex-Assessor 0. Beslncon, there
were IN this parish 1893 white and
1857 colored inhabitants liable to this
| tax. This would give a total of 3171
persons from whom the tax could le-
gally be collected. Imagine the vast
amount of Improvement that could be
effected in our public school system
with S3171 at the disposal of the school
board to be used only for educational
purposes. 1t is true that our schools
are at present in a floulishing condi-
ton; they are in operation five
months in the year; the teachers are
paid regularly; and everything goes
swimmingly along. But too much
money can never be expended in the
education Of the children, and the am
cunt that should be available from the
poll tax, or even half of that, would
suffice to establish a graded high
school here with il corps of competent
teachers, thus giving to pupils an edu-
! cation in the higher branches oflearn-
ing which they are now required to
seek in the schools Of New Orleans.
We agree with our esteemed contem-
porary, the Picayune, that the pay
ment # this tax should be made
condition precedent to voting.