The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1897-08-14
oPELOUSAs, PARISH OF ST. LANDRY
The Constitutional Convention

= we believe that it should be held
Ouf present Constitution has bee,
ahehded 80 often that it is ditficn]t +,
ma out what is the supreme law of tll,
oCate, and 1T is obvious, there fore. tha
other amendments would not make i
ahy cleafer or easier to understand
Auu yet we must have some NOR.
amendments. Therefore, a convention
IL tne only proper way to straighten the
matter out. The defects in the presen,
law can be corrected, and the necessary
amehdments ne, made by that means only
:. Inc suffrage clause of our Constltn.
ton needs amendment, and needs j,
| oadiy. Louisiana cannot afford tc
| Tag SO far behind her sister States in
THIS fundamental law of government
Nearly all the other States have passed
oaIioC reform laws. and their expe-
Iience proves that their people have a
higher regard for law and greater in
terest In elections, and consequently
more peace aud contentment, than IN.
der the old order. In States where par.
tlsan spirit runs high-where office and
patronage are Infinitely more valuable
from pecuniary standpoint than here,
the election laws have proven that fair
elections can be held, aud the public
welfare thereby benefited.
~, Sun1dSo laws ueeu purifying,
Inc qualifications for voters must be
raised. No man should Le permitted
TO vote IN this State who is not a citizen
or the United States. The idea that a
foreigner who simply declares his inten-
ton OF becoming ii citizen at some fu-
ture day shall be given the high prerog-
atiVe OF a voter, is repugnaut to the
spirit of a free country. None hut men
VINO know the significance and power
OF a vote, or who have a proper inter
est in the laws, should be given the
franchise. The registration laws should
be strict, and their enforcement be del
egated to men of high Integrity, and
the punishment of an official who is
false to his oath of office should be
swift and sure, and the pardoning pow
er limited in such cases.
The judiciary clause Of our Ccnstitu-
ton IS sorely in need of reconstruction.
This subject is next in Importance to
the suffrage. and demands the attention
of the Convention. For one thing ST.
Landry needs district judge all to
herself. The business before the Court
here requires it. the number of people
III the parish justities it, and public CON
venlence and Necessity makes j. es-
sentlal. When we need Judge, and
we need him often, we should not be
compelled to go to Crowley for him.
A Constitutional Convention woufl
make st. Landry "a judicial district We
are pleased to note the movement
among the lawyers of the State to
work together for IL proper solution of
this important question. A Conven-
ton has been called to meet at Alexan
dria next month, when the subject will
be discussed and plan prepared for
submission to the Constitutional Con-
vention.
1t is useless to attempt to enumerate
here all the changes which we think
the constitution requires, but even
these two great questions are sufficient
to justify it. We are in favor of the
Convention. We believe the people
want it, and we advise the people to Sc
lect good and true men to represent
them there. Only five months inter-
vene between now and the day fixed for
holding the election which is to decide
whether or not this State is to have a
Constitutional Convention. At the
same time delegates to that Convention
will be selected, aud should the vote
be in favor of holding the Convention,
the delegates chosen will represent
their respective parishes therein when
it meets shortly after. Therefore, it is
none too soon to study up the question.