The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-10-13
FIFTEEN
AMENDMENTS
TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE voT-
Frs IN NOVEMBER
THE PANAMA EXPOSITION
The Proposed Tax for This Scheme
Discussed-As Presented by Its Ad-
vocates-The People Are Already
Sufficiently Burdened With Taxes.
ITO the Caucasian
Mxrtis. La. Oct. II, ror,

submitted to the voters of Louisiana, or
rather te the few of them who have
compiled with the elections laws and
Iquaiifed themselves to exercise the
right of suffrage, for adoption or rejec-
ton. Ii is a safe estimate to say that
four-ffths of the voters in the State at
| large know absolutely nothing about the
purport of these suggested additions to
1.-THE fundamental law of the State; con-
sequently they are not prepared to vote
on them either pro or con.
i However, / think I can give two good
land sufficient reasons why every honest
and patriotic citizens of the State out
side of New Orleans should vote against
all of them, viz:
II First-When pair of pants get so
badly worn as to need fifteen patches,
lit is absolute economy to throw them
aside and get a new pair, and, in my
Iopinion, the same rule holds good with
la State Constitution.
| Second-The primary requirements of
several of these amendments are in
lcreased taxation, and the ultimate end
Iof air of them will be the same result.
The present taxation is about ali the
average citizen can stand.
i One of the proposed amendments has
| for its object the raising by taxation of
the people of the State outside of New
Orleans Of d million dollars to assist in
pulling off big show which that city
contemplates securing a few years
thence. To say that the projectors Of
this proposed amendment are attempt
ling to perpetuate a consummate outrage
ION the people is drawing it mildly. No
treason based on common sense or hon
esty can be given why the people of
Louisiana, especially the northern por-
ton of it, should vote fos any such a
scheme Of Iegaiized robbery OF course
Isuch newspapers of North Louisiana as
Iare ownewd BY New Orleans capital and
published in the interest of the Bosses
lof that city and Of the corrupt political
machine which now has the State gov
Iernment so firmly In It's clutches, are
strentousIy advocates Of this amend
nent and their editorial columns fairly
scintiIlate with the glowing descriptions
[of what the big show will do for every
Ipart of the State. how the Panama Ex-
position will cause hundreds of thous-
lands Of people who would otherwise
never have known that there was such
q place as Louisiana to pack their grips
and rush into the State, cultivate the
waste lands and make the State blossom
like the Rose of Sharon, whatever that
may be, and that the wealth and popu-
lation of the State would double within
the decade next following the exposition
provided the Crescent City is lucky
Eenough to secure it. One paper printed
Fin Monroe and bearing the euphonious
cognonen of News-Sssar says, among
other ebuliient expressions THE pro-
posed tax is 50 small that every taxpay-
Ter can well afford to pay it, And fur
lther on in the same article appears this
absurd assertion: "The immediate bene-
fits to each individual taxpayer will
more than repay this small amount
Imany times over. In what shape the
Ipredicted benefits 70 the individual tax
payer will come or how much more
than many times over the benefits will
repay each individual the writer say
eth not, perhaps because be does not
know. He says, however, that the fu-
ture Of the State is dependent on the
adoption Of the amendment. and winds
up his absurd article with the following
combination of transcendentaiism. hot
air and bonbast: For If che tax il de-
feated Louisiana will be the Jest Of the
Union and will be held lip to the mer-
tied ridieuIe and condemnation Of the
world.
These extracts are 1 fair sample Of
the arguments put forth By the advo-
Gates Of the amendment. If you vote
1aging this consecrated tax the other
folks ii Uncle Sans dominions viii put
their thumbs to their noses and wigrle
their fingers. at yotl. and the world and
the balance Of mankind viii ridicule and
condemn you.
With such forceful and nnanswerabie
arguments III lis favor ! presume we
| will all have To step up To the ballot iox
on election day and vote Tor The tax like
! little men because that fellow over inl
Monroe may have more arguments IN
allegiance equally IS potent and logical
/ u is favor IS that he has already dislied
on "a IS. which Is aboat IS much Is
ordinary MORALS san IS expected % i'm
S.esssaEd
and sys "a sl lIsaor1