The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1897-06-12
SATURDAY, JTNE y, 1897.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL coy
VENIION.
CONSIDERATIONS OF THE LIMITATIONS
CONTINUED.

The proposed constitutional con
ventlon shall pass iin ordinance
q. Whereby the ievee system as now
organized under aud Ivy virtue of att
cles 213 to 216 inclusive, and 30 of
the present constitution, and the laws
enacted in pursuance thereof shall be
altered, amended or affected.
A reference to the articles of the
constitution which the proposed cor
st%tiutional convention is prohibited
from altering will show that the peo-
pie of the State have adopted a leveu
system for the maintenance of which
already vast sums of money have been
expended. That system is in perfect
accord with the system adopted by the
federal government. which has come in
aid OF this and other river states and
it is deemed unuise by many to re-
open the question or reverse the sys-
tenn at the present stage Of It's devel
opment. The constitution Of 1879
provides that whenever the fedora,
government shall assume absolute
control OF the levees the State shall
abdleate Its right I'VE the leyee in it's
favor. The present constitution also
authorized this State to DIN other
river states for the purpose of main
tanning levees intended fertile common
protection of this and su.Ii other
states. These were no doubt the
reasons which actuated the legislature
In imposing these limitations.
1t might be argued that at this time
the people OF the State are not all
agreed about our leyee system and for
that reason the convention ought to
be free to act as it lists.
Ii We consider the difference of
opinion on this levee question:. it is
safe to say that all are agreed we
should have levees; the disagreement
ID as 10 outlets; some faeoring a coul-
poslte system of levees aud outlets j:
others, an all levee system. Under
this condition OF things, there is no
reason to vote against the constitu-
tional convention /; for although that
convention will lie prohibited from
making any alterations in the present
system, we See nothing under the
present constitution to prevent the
adoption OF the composite system.
should the people OF the State through
the legislature desire to try il.
The convention shall pass no ordi-
nance. -. J
9. WHEREBY the oincrs OF Clliri Jus
tice and Associate Justices Of the
Supreme coulf shall be made elective
or whereby the terms Ut Office Of tie
then incnmbents shall be sltagteued III
their salaries diminished.
There may be some honest differ
ence of opinion as to the pfopiiety OF
thls limitation or rather limitations.
tor there are two. The frat PROHIBITS
the convention from making Tie Off
ces of the justices of the supreme
court elective.
Under our present constitution the
judiciary system il composite ap-
poiEtlve, elective, id its broadcast
sense, and. again, elective III a ~restric.
ted sense that i, the justices. Of The
supreme court are appointed by the
governor with the advice of the
senate the district judges are elected
by a direct vote of the people OF their
respective disctiicts, and The Circuit
judges are chosen by the legislature in