Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-26
L0UTsTANNs CoNsrrrUrIoN.
The Convention Finishes Its Work.
The SufYrmue.

| (New Orleans Picayune)
Thu convention which assembled In this
city on February sth last to make Con-
stitution for the State OF Louisiana con-
cluded its labors this morning. May 18th.
The new Constitution, exclusive of the
schedule directing its taking effect and
operation, contains 325 articles. The
Constitution of 1879, without counting the
schedule and amendments, is composed OF
zo6, showing that the new Constitution Is
by nearly one-third its bulk more volumi-
nous than the old. This is the result of
the introduction into the Constitution OF q
large body OF matter which should have
been left to the General Assembly.
The first and most important task I'M
dertaken by the convention was the prep
aration OF a suffrage franchise to estab-
lish qualifications for voters in the pub
lie elections Of the State. The convention
addressed itself to the solution Of the
problem Of eliminating as much as posi-
BILE the negro element from the
voting power, without Infringing
the political rights of the negroes,
guaranteed to them by the Fed
eral Constitution. This was accom-
plished by requiring that all voters of the
State elections must be able to read and
throwing out the greater part of the illit-
crate and shiftless classes of the popula-
ton.
The same tests were applied to the
whites also; but, unfortunately, a way
was made by which large numbers OF the
illiterate and shiftless whites were admit
ted TO suffrage. when it would have been
greatly to the public benefit IL they had
been excluded. Nevertheless, the restric-
tions and conditions to which the Hitter
ate and propertyless whites will have to
CONFORM before they can be registered
voters will discourage many of them.
me next important measure. after the
suffrage clause. was the reorganization of
the judiciary Of the State.
The country members generally were
eager TO enact prohibitions against the
practice of trading in agricultural pro-
ducts for future delivery. and they secured
a constitutional ordinance to that effect.
Ihere was also an earnest desire In the
agricultural section OF the State TO place
restrictions and prohibitions on railway
and other private corporations engaged
IN transportation and the transmission of
intelligence and news, and these two
measures were accomplished largely
through the cooperation of members
from this city who have heretofore strong
ly opposed them.
Ii has been reported that the complais-
ance of city members in regard to those
measures explains the meaning of the
adoption OF ordinances that were plainly
In the interest of the political manager
IN this city and particularly the subser-
vlence OF the convention to the chairman
OF the city delegation. However this may |
De- the requirement that city and State |
officials shall be elected at the same time, |
contrary to the wishes of great majority |
or the people Of this city, was accomplish |
20 Dy the aid or a large body of the coun-
Try members, and the only excuse for 1t |
was that II was desired by the city poll
-icians, In whose interest it cannot fail
% operate.
The Constitution has good points, and
others quite Objectionable.