The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1898-03-26
The Torpedoes of the Convention.

Nothing of recent date has occurred
SO Startling to the combined political
chicanery, and so prostrating to studied
modes OF constitutional circumyentjOn
as the terse and concurrent opinions of
Senators Catfery and McEnery recently
wired to the savans of our unconstitu-
! ti0nal convention.
he suffrage provision which had
been about agreed upon by that body,
appeared to thousands of thinking men
III Louisiana, ill-devised and therefore
impractical. 10 our comprehension it
revived the once familiar line of Horace,
"Payturiunt montes nascetur ri0iculus
mus,' and we do not think we erred
much in our appreciation of the ar
ticle agreed upon. If we did, there
were very many who erred with US. 1t
has seemed to US from the beginning of
its consideration of the suffrage clause,
that tbe'r"ling desire has been to con-
cOct Onethe GOrcrHOr would be pleased
With. Whilst we personally respect
him, we are far from believing the Con-
vention should abandon its own views
simply to conform to his behests. lie
does not represent the people there
The members Of that body were sent
there to crystalline what the intelligent
and patriotic citizens of the State want !;
to condense and embody their views.
without yielding to those of any one
man or clique of men who seek to pop
ularlze themselves in any particular
portion of the State. We understand
the impossibility Of framing consti-
tuition that may please every locality.
Hence the necessity of making one
that is best adapted to the general good.
1t appears to us that some Of the
members OF that body, are strenuousIy
endeavOrlng to go frame the suffrage
clause as not to hazard their chances of
future preferment. They must on re
Election know that what mig strength
en- some, will weaken others, and hence
the Wrangle and scramble. We fail to
see that the Convention has done any
thing that they were sent there for
There are few who are making all the
noise, and as TO any useful purpose the
mass OF them are serving, they might
better be at home planting corn.
The poll tax has been stumbling
block. because, as we dppehend, many
might be prevented from voting who
heretofore have, and hencefOrth man.
be made to answer party purpose.
1T instruction of the illlterate and ig-
noIant be desirable, (aud no sensible |
man can deny it, what rational OBJ
lection can be urged to the requiring of |
IL good poll tax to be used in support of
the public schools ? Is it not apparent
that the reason it is not readily adopted
is, that it may cost politicians too much
to pay them, for those who vote might
not be willing to pay it themselves If
The simple object be to eliminate the
negro, would it not have the effect to a
very great extent? But it would at
he same time eliminate many white
vOters, and here re beliere is the rub.
We sometimes think it were wise to
'end 1875 members of the Convention
iome with their "honors thick upon
hem," to swim in the sea Of glory
heir exhibited abilities have opened
,ut to them, and leave about u dozen to
make a Constitution. The State would
save something by it, and we feel very
we'll satisfied the Constitution we are to
lave would lose none OF it's excellence,
)y their absence from the Convention.
The Jennjnps Times pives tI,a folloW- |