The Opelousas courier., 1907-11-30
WORK OF THE LOUISIANA
LEGISLATURE

we COIuIl1cuu W CIlc CdACAu
perusal of every citizen of Louis
lana who desires to keep posted
upon current affairs in tbis State
the following masterful review
of the work accomplished during
the first two weeks of the extra
session of the General Assembly.
1t is copied from the New Orleans
Times Democrat:
The second week of the extra
session has closed most encourag-
ingly, with every promise that the
reforms and economies enume-
rated in the Governors call will
be practically carried out. AS we
expected, the legislators have seen
the drift of public sentiment, and
have heard from their constitu-
ents.
It is evident that the Govern
or's call for the extra session,
which came "like a bolt from the
blue" was wise and timely. Parti-
sans denounced it at first in vio-
lent terms as precipitating politi-
cal issues in the midst OF a bitter
fractional campaign. The Governor
has proved that this is, above all
others, the time in which to accom-
plish results. His extra session will
save the State from $4,000 to
nearly $150,0O over and above
its cost. It will give Louisiana i'm
mediate relief, instead Of compel
ling it to wait more than a year;
and it has rendered the success of
reform certain. No one who has
the course of the session,
the distractions to every reform
proposed, the attempts to stife,
cripple or delay them, to form a
or conspiracy in opposi-
ton, can doubt that had the con-
sideration of these measures
been taken up after the primary,
when the candidates for the LegiS-
,ature and other Offices were safely
installed for four years, we would
not hayve got half we now seem
likely to get. This opposition failed
because the people held the whip
hand, because they were in a posi-
ton to punish, and gave notice
of their intention to punish, ali
those who stood in the way Of their
will in these matters of reform and
economy.
In the face of these stern facts,
after the usual display of orator
ical fireworks and partisan poll
tics, the Legislature set to work
last week to obey the popular will;
and the indications are that the
recommendations of the Governor
will be carried out in practically
the manner he suggested. AS for the
supplementary recommendations
Of Lieut.. Gov. Sanders, there has
been no opposition to them and
little discussion on them.
The reforms which can be put
into immediate effect include the
abolition of many sinecures and
superfluous Offices, the reduction
or abolition of the fee system by
which money was diverted from
the State treasury into the pock-
cts of favored politicians, and
a general overhauling Of the rev.
enue system of the State so as to
bring it to a more practical and
economical basis. These reforms
also carry with them a consider
able reduction in the power Of pol
iticians, who had often used his
Offices and the extravagant fees
derived from them to keep them
selves in control and defeat the
will of the voters.
The reforms which now seem
certain will save the State from
500, 900 to 100000 a year, and
will give the next Legislature a
chance to still further reduce the
rate of taxation, yet leave more
money for the schools, levees,
roads, and similar purposes-less