The Lafayette gazette., 1898-04-02

such corporation is in the nature of a me
noPoly is stronger and broader reason VIII
IT should be subject to the control and regr
!ation of the State. and widely extends tn
jurisdiction and rights of the State in tina
respect. And as the agents of the State j
supplying the community with facilities fo
transportation, the railroad corporatio
necessarily rests under the same obligation
to deal fairly and equitably with all its citi
zens without favoritism or discrimination a
the State itself.
That the railroad corporations il
this State have pcrsistently aud
fagrantly failed to perform thei
plain duty is too generally known
to admit of any denial. The rail
road corporation will, unles:
checked by legislation, invariabl,
charge all, ''that the trade will
bear" In other words, it will exac,
Of the people all that it can squeeze
out of them. 1t has done so in the
past; it does SO now. and it is fool
ish to think that it will not pursue
the same policy in the future
Therefore, it is not only the right
of the State, but it is its bounden
duty to adopt such a law that will
protect its citizens against un-
reasonable transportation rates.
In SO doing the State will be only
performing its simple duty; it will
give to the citizen what lawfully
belongs to him, without encroach-
ing in the least upon the rights of
the railroad company.
1t has been charged that the
present convention is too much un-
der the baneful influences of cor
porations to pass any law, how
ever wise and needed, inimical to
the interests Of railroad stock
holders. Let it prove that such a
charge is untrue. Let it adopt
fair and broad commi ssion, and in
that way show to the world that its
are true Representatives oil
The people and not the servants of
ALL W1I7E .KEN ClV VozE.
We published on another page
he suffrage bill passed by the con-
convention.
When this bill was first reported |
% the convention by the suffrage
The Gazette expressed |
he opinion that it would accomplish
he purpose of the convention and
hat it would give general satisfac-
ion. Subsequent to its introduce
ion the bill was pronounced uncon-
titutional by the two Senators from
his State and it was dropped for
hat reason. Several other plans
7ere proposed, but none seemed to
meet with the approval of majority
f the convention. After vainly
rying to find suitable substitute
, the original provision, which is
nown as section five, the commit
&c decided to take 1t up again. 1t
as reported back to the conven-
on and it was adopted by a large ,
aajority, Mr.. Landry Of this parish,
oting for its passage. .
We believe that the bill as i. was
nally passed is good one and will
arry out the purpose of the con-
The Democratic party in
lis State did not intend to disfran-
hise the poor and llliterate white
IAN as it has been charged by it's d.
1emies, and we felt confident that
le convention, composed, as it is,
Democrats, would never consent
} adopt law that would take the
anchise away from those of our
tizens who can no: read and do a
1t own property. "
The cry that the Democratic c
lrty wanted to disfranchise a GER y
in class of white voters has been a
e stock in trade of loud-mouthed s
in this and other par a
hes. The action Of the conven- c
On in regard to the suffr age shows t
early what the policy of the party a
IS been and is now. 1t has passed ii
l.