The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1907-12-10
REVIEW OF WORK DONE BY LEGISLATURE.
Bv Repre- snta,i i've Keanan Who Says Mach dood tias Been Done
n Estimates Saving to Stale OF Over Sstoooo Annually.

lI'ilt loi I''i 'HSi
crease i 1913 per cent for the entire
State. 81 per cent for the city OF New
Orleans, and 1916 per cent for the
State outside of New Orleans.
The retrenchment measures that have
effected this great saving OF $4,000
per annum are six in number, and all
of them except the IL relative to the
Office of Secretary of State have to do
withthe assessment. collection, DIS
bursement and deposit of the public
As there will be a natural annual
increase in the assessment, this hand
some saving to the people will in
crease with the increasing years, and
will last for all time to come.
There has been much discussion as
to who shall have the credit O this
noble work. 1t seems to me that there
is glory enough for all. 1t matters
not whose names are on the bills, they
could never have been enacted into
laws but for the loyal votes of the
patriotic members of this assembly,
who, forsaking home and private in
terests. at great personal sacrifice,
sometimes wellnigh disastrous, have
come here and stayed here at this busy
season of the year until they have
forced these measures on the statute
books.
BENEFICIAL RESULTS.
These measures of reform would
probably not have been accomplished
but for two influences, for which cred
it is due to you. These are the exist
ence of the primary election law,
which was enacted by you at the ses-
sion of 1906, and the absence of the
lobby, which was compelled by your
decided action in the early days of
this extraordinary session. You have
thus been able to consider and act up
on this important legislation undis-
tracted by the persuasion ana other
influences of those personally inter-
ested against it. and with a full sense
of your responsibility to the people
whom you represent, and to whom a
strict account must be given at the
approaching primary election. The
results of this extraordinary session
have, on the whole, been SO highly
beneficial to the people of the State,
that it is not improbable that it may
be taken as a precedent, and that sue
ceeding administrations may adopt
the policy of calling special sessions
to enact reforms demanded by the
people, a few months before the gen.
ieral primary election, at which the
legislators mustArender an account to
| their constituents. l think it would be
we'll if a provision for such a session
were Incorporated in the Constitution
lof the State.
| The work of this General Assembly
| will. in all human probability, enc
with this session. When we finall,
say farewell to one another and leav'
this historic old capital for our re
Spective homes, Z, for one, shall leav'
it with nothing but respect for thi
Assembly and kindly personal feelin,
for each and every member cOmpos
ing it.
GREAT PROBLEMS SOLVED.
l do not hesitate to say hat with tn
single exception of the constitutions
convention of 1898. no body of men ha
ever assembled in Louisiana as patri
otic of purpose, As determined i
action or as successful in achieve
ment for the welfare and we'll. being c
the State we all love so we'll. Grea
problems have been presented to thi
Assembly for solution, and they hav
all been solved wisely and we'll. Wit
the assistance of the present admir-
istration. the Chief Executive has bee
stripped by this Assembly of his dar
gerons power of patronage, which a
Abnormal condition Of affairs ha
! placed in his hands. and the right
the people to choose their own publi
servants by popular election has bee
restored to them by you. The deman
of the people not only to elect the
officers, hut also to nominate the
, candidates for Office, was granite
by you when you enacted tt
primary election law. The good wor
, accomplished by you at this sessio
= in curbins official extravaganza an
in reducing the compensation of pull
lie servants to reasonable limits, er
ables you q proudly apply to you
5 ! successful achievements the Latin ma.
i'm ''fnis coronat opus;'' and doul
uot that your fellowcitizens will awar
xou the priceless praise of the Maste1
"Well done, thou good and faithf,
servant" And SO, my fellOw-men
beers, may we all part without Il
sill ghtest trace of personal raneor an
with mutual respect, affection and r.
greet.
Prolonged applause followed Il
reading of this statement, and M
Herman was surrounded by colleague
anxious to congratulate him.