The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-06-05
CONSTITUTIONAL CoaVEE
TIOT.

advocate of holding the Constitn-
,ional Conventions as the foilowing1
editorial shows
In some eight months The people
Of Louisiana will be called upon 10
vote whether they want coilstt.o'
,;onal convention or not, and at the
same time, elect delegates to that
convention. The Legislature, IN
stead of calling the convention at
opce which would have been best,
cave ample time for the people to
fulIy discuss the matter and TO make
mn their minds thereon, and also to
settle what changes are needed ID
our organic law.
The matter has been more or less
discussed in the press, as well as
| among the people, and the over
whelming sentiment is in favor oil a
new Constitution.
Some few protests have been f'ied
AGAINST it, bst these protests were
mot backed with any argument OF
moment-it was the same old story
that the people were not to be trusted
and that it was better 10 stand th'
present organic law, faulty as 1t Is
than take the risk of having the PEG
J pie or their representatives chang
, it. This argument is undemocratl
! and absurd, and most remarkabi
, one 10 present 10 the people; indeed
we can conceive Of no more marve
GUS proposition than an appeal
the people TO vote down .constit'
tiopal convention because they, IL
3 peonle, are unfit to frame new CO.
/. stituiion. They must by their oW
vote declare their unfitness FOR so
. eminent.
'e This style of argument will,
a course. not win; and it is now c.
L. tain that the convention will 'he bel
and it is time, therefore, to dlscu
1.-The question Of the changes need
=, IN our constitutional system.
~ The first and most pressing is,
&, course. in our suffrage, and this
he of such trauscendant Importance Il
ty it has been suggested that it ale
D. would suffice. We suffer IRON
be large ignorant vote, easily iniluent
by adventures and demagcgnes, g
always q source of danger to
4 Estate. These voters interfere ST
OF ously with democratic governme
be- and are responsible for the /.
e which in many cases deprive
;no neople of the right of electing Il
20 own officials. Several plans sugs
NY themselves Of solving this probl,
'oi' but all require a change in our {
but stitution. Webave tried to moe
at and alter 1t by an amendment,
one we failed in this; we can only m
mo- the change with certainty by Sc
ing a new constitution.
1t is mistake, however, TO
ma pose that this is the only deIec
OF our organic law.
the The constitutional commission
In pointed by the last Legislature,
ness of 1896, 10 go over our Cons
- ton and suggest amendments Il
INA found numerous defects, and
ne scarcely section Of the Ccnstitu
and but. needed Improvement.
had First among the branches nee
tile the attention of the 'conventlt
tho the Judiciary, which as at PR
W" constituted is cumbersome, ea
ear" sive and slow. A general rev
en- of the entire Judiciary syste
lark necessary in the interest OF eco'
my and quicker justice.
title Another change greatly need
80, the abolition of the centralized
50 TEN .whlch grew up in Repub
DAYS, and which has been per
atcd under Democratic rule. "
sueo by the people are ruled by Off
ctors boards or commissions appointt
b be the Governor deriving their {
food from him aud responsible who
:, no him and not to the people.
have seen the evil effects OF thu
'oh'' tenn on many occasions, and Pc
c iee' creeping into matters with VII
year, has no concern.