The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-07-28
UNCONSTITUTIONAL.


The opposition of comparatively few
men to the proposed government by
commission is not surprising, but these
men are wasting their words in their
endeayor to nislead, or more directly to
ertangle, some of the voters who are
susceptible of being misguided. Against
the proposed commission form is the
threat Unconstitutional" which, if in
terpreted, as it is represented, would in
dicate contest in the courts, which
would lead to complications What ad-
vantage would the opponents of the
commission form gain by such proceed
ings7
On September next there will be
held primary at which the Democratic
qualified electors of Shreveport will
make choice of the candidates offering
for the various Offices stipulated and on
the authority of the City Democratic
Executive Committee, which is pos
sessed of the necessary power to call
such primary
Who will interfere with or stop this
primary
The primary being at an end, the peo-
pie viii then know the choice of the
majority in so far as it applies to the
candidates announced and for which ahe
majority vote is cast
Il this unconstitutional
Then on or about September ID on
the cali of the Mayor an election will be
held at which the qualified voters of the
city of Shreveport will be given the OPP
portunity of pronouncing for or against
the proposed system of government by
commission.
Is this. or would this be unconstitu-
tionall
Could the pretext Of "unconstitu-
tional' avail in restraining the Mayor
from issuing such a proclamation for
such an electionp
Assuming that the majority at this
election would pronounce in favor of
the commission form, what would fol-
low7
The Mayor, following the law in its
application to the Smith bill, would have
to cali another election at which the
candidates of The commission form
would be presented on a regular ticket
TO be voted at regular election, and
BY the operation of the law the
nomination OF the mayor and ff-
teen coiincilnen ticket would be-
come virtually annulled and being an
nulled could not Be recognized or given
consideration on the Democratic ticket
at the regular election in November
And then whatf
If, to use trite expression, the COM
mission form should be tied up" on
legal teehnicalities, the candidates of the
form would be compelled to await the
decision Of the court and in the mean
time the present council including the
Mayor. would have to hold on to their
respective Offices until relieved BY their
legally qualified successors, and then
what
Now, assuming that the people inl
their sovereign capacity and BY a ma
jority which could not be questioned
should pronounce for the commission
form and finally realizing that they were
about to be iuggled from their rights,
on the pretext Unconstitutional, what
would folIow2
The only course of the people who
would not submit to such an outrage
would be to put in the field ticket com
prising good citizens for election at the !,
November election
This could be done consistently, as
here would practically be no recognized
ior authorized candidates, under sane
ion Of law
This would be situation now visible
8 any blind man who will give the is
sle single thought.
All these complications can be avoided j
II permitting the majority to rule with.
ut entanglemens On technicaIities and |
By the opponents Of the !
commission form 81 government
LUZ ME- COFFEE Il The south's
Co. e. s7Iss - ssy4sss.gaM ..N.a i