Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1894-07-06
BALLOT REFORM.
Democratic Caucus Adopts the
Measure with Amendments,

Says the Times. Democrats Bato
Rouge correspondent: The alleged
ballot reform bill has been adopted
by the Democratic caucus. Tb,
test vote was "a yeas to IA nay 8
that test being made on the clause
in the bill referring to the method
of appointing Boards of supervisors
OF Elections for the country parisb>
es. Messrs. Montgomery and Av.
cry led the fight against the pro.
posed change, aud were met by
Speaker Bolton aud Senator Pagh,
the latter making most effective
aud common sense argument Ia
support of the bill, The opposition
Was swept aside. however, but as
the roll was made only on tue first
amendment, and not on the adOp.
tiOn of the bill as a whole, no on e
who voted for the amendment can
be held to be bound by his first
vote. This action, therefore, on the
part Of the caucus cannct be taken
as Indicating :he passage of the bill,
even as amended, as many Senators
and Representatives who were in
the city did not attend the caucus.
The entire fight was made Oh the
old line Of the zone man pOwer,'
the opposition cOnten ending that as
the Governor appointed the police
Jurors, their selection would practi,
cally be his selection and be, with
the Governors appointee, would
give the Governor u working ma.
JOrity Oh the board. The advocates
of the bill hold that as the police
juries will be elected by the people
such being the intention of further
legislation, the people would be
represented by two men of their
own selection. Gov. Foster, in
speaking of the bill this afternoon
to a Times>De@ocrat reporter, said
that br bad canvassed the situation
thoroughly, ard had come to the
conclusion that the bill, barring the
New Orleans clause, would be
adopted.
Representative O'Neil Hirn and
Rogers are responsible for the mod.
ifcatiOns made in the eleventh ami
sixteenth sections of the bill. The
most material change is that affect.
ing the method by which the su.
pervlSOry board is to be selected.
The till as it was originally drafted
provided that the board should con
sist OF an appointee by the Gov.
ernor, the civil sheriff and an ap.
poIntee be the Mayor with the con.
sent of the Council. The bill as it
now stands provides that the Gov.
prnOr's choice, the city sheriff and
the registrar of voters shall consti- |
tate the board. This gives the ad.
the whip handle in the
city fight.
The amendments made tO>nlght !
we're forced by Gov. Foster, who
was determined that the original
bull should not be adopted, and were
agreed on ia conference between
the Executive and the leading city
That the entire bene
fetal effects of the Philadelphia
plan have been knocked endwise
is admitted, tor the city delegation
succeeded in increasing the voting
of each precinct from 200
to 400, and effected change where.
by the posting OF the vote shall he
made every four hours, instead of
every two hours, as provh.
ed in the original bill.
The likelihood OF the passage
of the bill hinges upon the question
OF whether those who voted for the
parish board clause will stick to
heir determination. If they do,
Orty>One will he secured in the
House and fourteen in the Senate.
There is every prospect of the bill
psssIng the House, but as nineteen
\ OteS will be IpOuired I'm the Senate