The Opelousas courier., 1904-10-15
The Amendments.

ember 8, and it behooves every
good citizen to acquaint himself
with their provisions, to carefully
study them, and to lay before his
ignorant or apathetic neighbors
the result of his Investigations,
with such honest and unselfsh
advice as his superior knowledge
and laudable desire to promote
the general welfare may authorize
or prompt him to offer.
Most of these amendments
should be adopted. Some of
them should be defeated. 1t is
therefore the plain duty of every
good citizen to so inform himself
as to know what amendments to
favor and what amendments to
oppose. Otherwise, his vote may
prove an injury to himself and to
the State instead of benefit.
In this article we propose to
give our honest opinion as to some
Of these amendments. In subse-
quent articles we propose to do
the same as to others.
The proposed amendment to
Art. 255 of the Constitution and
that to Art. 256 should be adopt
ed. They are intended to remove
the limitation on appropriations
for the support of the State Uni
versity at Baton Rouge and the
Industrial Institute at Ruston,
and to permit the General Assem-
bly, to increase the sums devoted
to their support and maintenance.
The State cannot spend too much
of our tax money for education.
That is the great, the crying need
of the hour.
The proposed amendment pro-
viding for the exemption from
taxation for period of ten years
of all railroads constructed be-
tween January, 1905, and January,
1909, should be adopted. The
development of the State is yet
in its infancy, and this measure
should tend to hasten and pro-
mote it. This amendment has no
number, but is proposed by House
Bill No. 141, which became Act
No. 16 of 1904.
The proposed amendment to
Art 100 nrOvides for the creation
of another omce-a District Judge
to cost $4,000 more per year.
Our judiciary system already costs
too much, and a better way to
remedy whatever deficiencies ii
NAV possess can be found than
| further increasing its cost. Vote
down this amendment.
The proposed amendment to Arr
3O3 should be adopted. 1t pro,
| vides that the General Assembly
may appropriate each year sum
not exceeding $150,00O for pen
sions for INDECENT Confederate
| veterans, none of whom are te
receive more than eight dollars
ner month. AS it stands now
| Art 3O3 allows the expenditure
of not more than $4,000 per an
nun. Every civilized nation or
earth takes care Of its old ant
helpless soldiers. The Fedora
government distributes annual,
for mansions. in each of the forty
| FIVE States of the Union, an aver
aqe of more than three mallson
Of dollars, but not one cent o
this goes to the Confederate vet
eran. The old and decreplt me
who on hundred battlefelds up
held with heroic valor the homo
of Louisiana and shed undyln
lustre on its name are surely en-
titled to its sympathy and to ii
gratitude. A,
9Ao and that to Art. 81 shoul
both be defeated. One raises tn
salary of the State Superinter
dent of Education from 81 900 t
~. 900. and the other raises tn
; salary of the Attorney Generi
from $4,000 to $4,000. The:
gentlemen were glad to get the
Offices at the present salaries, an
thew or Others equally competel
8 viii be glad to get them at I'll
< came salaries i'm 1908. Better e
!, tablish a few more schools vii
> these $4,000 per annum that it
proposed to give away, or raj
. some $50 or $35 school salaries
$35 or $40.
i The proposed amendments
q Arts. 9s, SO, 100, 106 and Ia
T relative to the Judiciary depal
ment. should also be defeate
: They provide for the creation
: s;x additional Offices, the incur
: hents of which are to receive y
- = less than $4,000 annually. Al
= J. these $24, 900 annually (minimu
= fioures!) are to be added to t
:. = cost Of q system which already {
: !, eeeds by far in cost that OF any
:, !. onr neighboring States! 1t see'
:, - to be generally conceded that Q
y :, judiciary system is faulty and I
! 4 fective, but a better way certain
: ! can be found to improve 1t tn
ID by making its unreasonable 9