The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1907-11-09
THE EXTRA SESSION.
zoe. Blanchard siives Good Reasons Coz
Converting the General Assembly.

appearance OF his proclaim alton call
ing an extra session OF the general as
sembly, offers clear and foreIble ex-
planation of the reasons that actuated
him in taking that step:
stTbis action has been under consld-
GRAFTON by me for more than a month
past. The more l reflected over 1t
the more convinced l became that 1t
ia for the best interests OF Louisl-
ana that the general assembly meet
pow-now that the many questions Of
reform embodied In the call Tor the
extra session are before the people,
are Issues Ia lhe camP&igni are being
declared for by the candidates for
governor, for lieutenant governor, Tor
attorney general and foG other state
positions, as we'll rs by candidates for
the senate and house and foE sheriff
and other local offices.
"When everybody seems agreed
that these reforms are good things
and the state should have them, is
lust the time 10 reach out after them
for the state-before anybody changes
his mind, or becomes Indifferent.
ssJust preceding an election at which
the people are to speak their imperial
will. is a better time to call the long
roll on these reforms than after the
will is spoken
eft is believed that it is easier to
reduce the fees and compensation Of
Office before the Office is filled and
while it is being sought after, than it
will be after it has been found and
| filed.
ssEach office has certain emoiuments
attached to it by existing laws, and
while, from a legal standpoint, there
is no vested right il the salary Or
compens ation of an Office such as
would enable the occupant to claim
| that the same cannot be disturbed
or decreased during the term for
/ which he is elected, still there is a
| feeling among many that where a
/ man is elected to an office for term
fixed, to which Office the law existing
| at the time of his election gives a
certain money value, moral. right
arises in favor of the occupant to lei
him serve his term out at the full.
compensation attaching to the Office
at the time he accepted it. This be
| ing so, it were better to change the
compensation just before he accepts
the Office than after.
sit is easier to decrease the cos
tof collecting the revenues OF thu
state and parishes, and the cost o
assessing property, while the peopl'
are debating whom they will put int
the Offices relating to these subjects
than it will be after the people havt
made choice for four years.
"It is easier to get a law passed
directing the state board of liquid a
tion to let out the states funds to tn
highest bidders among the solven
banks of the state, while that mat
! ter is fresh in the peoples mind
| by its discussion on the stump JUS
preceding the election, than it will b
after the election when the matter i
, not SO fresh in the peoples minds an
! | they will not have another Oh ance a
it for four years.
i l Il tr 80 est
OF holding to accountability official
G charged with the collection Of tn
public funds just prior to the cleo
! | tion at which such officials are to b
chosen, than It Is likely to be ate
( they are chosen. saw, at the ses
sion OF the general assembly in 1ao4
! proposition looking TO an increas
!, in the bonds of tax collectors kille
in one night.
"The sudden appearance in Bato
7 | Rouge OF some of those who though
their interests lay in holding tn
bonds at existing figures. did the bus
:. mess for IL.
eat a session OF the legislature iu:
preceding the election it is not likel
such an appearance would be put il
ssThe prospect of securing the ri
forms mentioned is better precedin
the election than after.
ain saying this no reflection is ii
tended on those to be chosen TO offie
and to the legislature at the election
1t is only expressing what human e.
psrience teaches. and everyone know
to be true.
paragraph of the call gives al
thority for amending the primary lav
This is necessary in the event Il
legislature should abolish any offt
or offices now existing and create ne
| ones in their stead. Such new Office
should be filled at the April electic
and nominations for the same shou
q. be made atthe January primary. b
G, the time for candidates to aunount
- their candidates. will have peenclose'
! TIE same may be reopened for Il
q new offices by direction of the law.
q "This is one reason, and a sufficie
one, for paragraph 3.
Paragraph 6, providing for an i
vestigation Of port charges at Ne
Orleans, is most timely just now. I
B get at the bottom of the ports tro
bles, to ascertain where lies the ey
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