The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-12-12
OPPOSED TO THE SCHEME.

In letters to the Shreveport JOURNAL
Hon. Leon R. Smith, Hon. L. Z. lhom-
as and Hon. T. C. Barrett have made
plain their opposition to the scheme de-
vised to amend Article 63 of the Con-
stitution of 1898.
Article 63 of the Constitution of 1898
reads: mo person shall be eligible to
the Office of Governor or Lieutenant
Governor who shall not have attained
the age of thirty years, been ten years
a citizen of the United States, and
resident of the State for the same pc
Rad of time next preceding his election,
or who shall hold office under the
United States at the time of or within
six months Immediately preceding the
election for such Office; nor shall any
person who shall have been elected,
qualified and served as Governor under
this Constitution be eligible as his own
successor; provided, however, that he
NAV again be eligible to the Office at the
expiration of one or more terms after
the term for which he shall have
served
The scheme Of some politicians and
friends of Governor Sanders is to
strike out from Article 63 that part
which limits the Governor to one term
and fixes an interim of four years or
one term before he can become eligible.
In their communication to the Jour
nal the Representatives named have de-
monstrated their loyalty to the people,
and especially to the Constitution and
that part which it is desired shall be
eliminated in order that the ambition of
one man, if so inclined, may be salts
fed.
If this scheme of these politicians
were to carry, and the proposed amend
ment were referred to the people, as it
must be, the prescription is, based on
the experience of the past, that the po-
1itical machine would be so operated as
to have recorded its endorsement by a
majority, although that majority if fair
ly counted and honestly returned would
indicate the overwhelming defeat of the
proposed amendment of gthe restriction
of one term of four years for the office
of Governor
The issue is plain, so plain that a
blind man can see it. Should the
scheme carry, it would be possible for
the State of Louisiana to become Mex
icanized
When the Governor, be it Sanders or
any other man, being strengthened in
the assurance of his perpetual succession.
as the Chief Executive of the State, he
could laugh to scorn any criticism of
the dear people He could in the unclas-
sic, impolite but vigorous words of
Vanderbilt declare" the public be, y
and if so inclined he could hold the of
fee for a life term or hand it down to
one favored or chosen by him as his
successor.
This is the bald intent of the scheme,
to which no self-respecting citizen, in
dependent of the political machine, will
subscribe
Think of louisiana being Mexican
lied.
, For upwards Of twenty years Diaz
has dominated Mexico. It is true he
should be given credit for what he has
accomplished in improving the eondi-
lions of Mexico, but he has enjoyed a
monopoly of the Office of President sim
ply because whatever were the restric-
tons which limited this term of Office
has been ignored and swept aside.
Such a condition must be made inn
possible in Louisiana, and this safe
guard in the Constitution of 1893 must
not be disturbed.
The issue must be met with deter
mination which must destroy the
scheme before it can be made effective
in action.