The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1897-08-28
The Constitutional Convention.
SOME OF OUR IDEAS.

We have already said to onr readers
that We favor the calling of Il Conven
ton for the purpose of framing u new
constitution. That we are decidedly
against patching up the present con
g'omeration yclept tho State Constitu
ton. That we desire one made of
whole cloth to meet and to suit our pO
litical and other surroundings. We
stated more than once that we wish to
have qualified suffrage, and we now
reiterate it.
There is u diversity of theories on
this subject, not one of which can we i'll
dorse in its entiety as being altogether
sufficient.
We repeat our theory. One of three
qualifications sllonld be required
1st. A property qualification by which
the voter might, by industry and prac
tical frugalty attain the right to vote.
The evidence of his right should be
found ON the tax roll of the parish.
81. If not able to vote on this test, lie
should be able to read printed matter
with fair degree Of understanding.
Sd. If not qualified to vote by either
of these tests, he should be allowed to
country and been fiGnorably discharged.
At least one of these three qualifica
tions should he required with strict i'm
partiality as to race. We honestly bo-
lieye that, as every male citizen OF the
United States may be required to bear
arms in times of war and insurrectlOn,
he should be allowed to exercise the
right of suffrage, whenever he works
himself up TO ono of these standard
qualifications. We can SEQ no justice
in withholding from any class OF citi-
zens, political right or privilege Ell
ioyed by another, provided all Impair
tial conditions are honestly complied
with.
A. to the Judiciary, we are decidedly
of the opinion that the whole SYSTEM
requires renovation, but it is not now
our purpose to go into elaborate de-
tails.
1t ia evident to everyone that, whilst
lawyers have aspircd to seats on the
Supreme Court bench, they have strug-
glel to lessen their labnrs and to make
their duties loss onerOus 10y increasing
the trouble aud expenses of litigants
all over the State.
For example, we see no good reason
why all litigants should go to New Or
leans, ut great expense, because the
judges of the Supreme Court cannot
have all the Injuries of HE City in Ope-
lonsas, Shreveport and Monroe.
Conntry people pass all their lives,
without ~daily supplies OF POtage Gu
queues dc bGuf, tuites en- C0qailles,
MOrue q la sauce dur cdprc. PoMtets our
chour fear, Rs de reamc la Mitandise,
Bouchees ar rtr0ises, Champagne tidppf,
ETC.. etc.
And why should these dignitaries oh-
ject to hog and hnminy and Adams
pure ale for two or three weeks, when
the masses Of the people, whose ser
wants they are. are forced t" live on 1t
all their Iives7
The Circuit Court Of Appeals should
be composed of three Judges for each
circuit and there should be three cir
cults only, il any at all.
There should be District Judge for
every parish outside of New Orleans
and his salary based on the population
thereof. Each parish should pay its
Judge They sl,otfli be elected to serve
at least six years ,>egnlsfs sooner re-
moved by competent atsShority for spe-
cited: cause. Maasatrates should be
elected by their resstctive s1tards. and
ancs thsy s""aa %on BE- It s @ Heuss s~ 'qni All
their writs should he nAde retnrnable
then aud there. A etiajority of the
Cont should form qusEum. Their jn-
risdiction, both civil land criminal,
should be increased. They should pass
upon minor oifehses and crimes, them
selves constituting the jury. They
should also constitute the Police Jury.
Their eligibility should be based Oh
we'll defined qualifications.
Litigants in District Courts should
make copies Of their petitions, etc, and
serve them themselves, and they should
take evidence in the interims OF Court
to be used on the trial of cases, subject
to legal objections. BY this means
poor men could have free access to
Courts they ale, under the present
System, often unable to appeal to.
Governors should not be eligible to
tho office of Governor, as their own
successors. The present system is
faulty in the extreme, and we should
adopt some other that may save us
from the evils the State now inveighs
against.
We need peoples gove,nmtnt-one
that may he operated with economy to
them in all it's departments. We are
tired OF and disgusted with this carni
val of politicans--0flice- holders and
seekers Of office Give us plain sailing
and vitalized laws that one can be
made to respect whether in or out OF
office. We need no board of pardoDs.
The verdicts of juries should he res
pected and criminals have no immunity
from wilifully violating laws enacted
for tho protection of law w-abiding per-
sons.
Same mouths since tha Police jury