The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1910-11-04

state. the power to tax the people.
Every voter should vote AGAINST
this amendment.
9 For pensioning Confederate vet
Grams. This amendment provides for
Ievying a one-t fifth mill tax upon as
sessed valuation of the state, to be
applied to pensiOning the Confederate
veterans of the state.
This tax inhicts but slight burden
upon the taxpayers, and is DEVOTED to
a worthy cause. 1t is but the partial
payment of just debt, which the state
owes to the men who gave the best
years of their lives, in the defense OF
their state and her institutions. This
amendment ought to CARRY unani-
mously.
10. Juvenile Court. An amend
ment to Act No. 245, of 1908, common
ly known as the Juvenile Court Law,
amending it so rs to suspend its OPP
erations in all parishes outside of
New Orleans, except such parishes as
have an incorporated town or CITY OF
seven thousand or more population,
and also providing the manner IN
which it may he extended to other
parishes.
The juvenile court law, which is
working most successfully in many
states in the Union, was passed in
Louisiana in 1908 and the amendment
ratlfying it, carried by large major
ity vote. But, owing to inefficient
equipment in the way of schools and
proper places of confinement for juv-
emile offenders, this law was a failure,
or worse, in many parts OF the state.
A demand went up for its repeal, but
since 1t was working most successfully
in other states, and In parishes in
this state, where it was possible to in
force 1t, the Legislature wisely deemed
it best to suspend its operations tenn
porariIv. except in those parishes
nuylne ali incorporation with at least
seven thousand population, or other
wise prepared for the proper inforce-
ment of the law, which at the present
time, is incapable OF being inforced.
It should CARRY at the polls.
II. An amendment providing for
retirement, on full pay, of chief and
associate justices, when they reach
the age of Is, provided they have
served not less than fifteen years con-
Immediately prior to such
retirement.
This involves but trifing expense
and is a generous recognition of serv.
ice we'll rendered, and we think is
worthy of support.
u. An amendment providing for
exempting from taxation, for period
of fifteen years, steamship companies
that may be organized in the state
and engaged in foreign commerce.
According to this amendment. these
companies must be organized within
the state, within the next two years,
be capitalized at not less than $1,000.
900, payable only in cash, and the
companies must be common carriers.
The purpose of this amendment is
to encourage the establishment of
lines for handling the trade
that the opening of the Panama canal
will create, and enable it to be carried
ia American vessels. This is com
mon means of Encouraging enterprises
and has often been resOrted to before
ia this state, especially in the case of
'ailroads. 1t does not mean any loss
10 the state, as, without the eXemp-
ion the steamship companies would
lot be organized, SO the state would,
If course, receive no benefits. While |
f they are organized, the state will be
deprived of the taxing privilege for a
orief time only, after which they
would be source of revenue to the |
tate, as we'll as increasing the ma.
erial prosperity of every buyer and
eller of produce that comes from or
.oes to foreign fields. This is a
worthy amendment and should be v>'-
d FOR.
IL. Fixing the number of represent.
tiyes in the House, at not less than
3, nor more than 120.
This is parish division amend
lent, its passage being necessary to
ne organization of any new parish in
he state. AS it would seem that we
ave an abundance of legislators al
eadv it seems useless to make an :u-
tease of their kind possible.
IA. An amendment providing for
le creation Of an additional judicial
istrict composed Of LaSalle and
a1dwell parish, to he known as the
18th. Salary of Judge $1,000.