The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-11-02
A FINAL WORD ON THE
AMENT}MENTS

| / II
| Notwithstanding the fact that a
president and vice president of the
United States, members of congress,
associate justices of the supreme
court, judges of courts of appeal, dis
trict judges, district attorneys and
a number Of minor local officers are
| to be voted for in Louisiana at next
| Tuesdays election, by far the most
important element of that contest is
amendments of the state constitution
submitted for popular decision.
Louisiana is regarded as one of the
most solidly Democratic states of the
solid Democratic south and there is
10 opposition to any Of the candi-
dates for office nominated at the
Democratic primaries or through the
political machinery Of the Democratic
party in this state, hence the results
Of our election in SO far as they re-
late to parties and candidates may
be viewed in the light OF foregone
conclusions. Therefore the state
ment that the most important matters
to be decided by the voters Of LOU
isiana on Tuesday are embraced in
the nineteen acts Of the general as
sembly proposing that number of con-
stitutional changes and amendments.
The Chief published summary of
the titles and objects of these acts
last week, in the order of their APP.
pearance on the official ballot, and
this statement is reproduced today
for the convenience Of our voting
readers who may wish to become
familiar with the sequence of the
measures before going to the polls.
The manner of voting for or against
each amendment is SO clearly indi-
Gated on the ballot that no special
explanation of the process is neces-
sary. It consists merely in stamping
the blank space at the right extrem-
ity Of the t1For, line or Against"
line, according to the desire of the
voter to approve or disapprove the
amendment.
The discussion of the amendments
with the approach Of the election,
and quite a number of prominent
men and newspapers have arrayed
themselves in opposition to two or
three of the measures No. J., the
main tax reform amendment, is the,
storm centre of the discussion, of
course, but there is some unfavor-
able criticism also Of No. 10, which
provides for the refunding of the
state debt, and No. Il, which reopens
the grandfather clause of the con-
stitution and permits certain litter
ate and non-property- holding residents
to register asvoters on a permanent
roll that is to be closed on August
81, 1913.
81 The Chief finds no reason to
change its previously expressed opin-
ion that the people of Louisiana can
safely adopt sal fhe proposed amend
lnents, and that the benefits to be
derived theraapm will greatly out
weigh any FesibIe disadvantages
that could aolA he. The bulk Of the
adverse critieAtiit of the tax reform
in t4nericase Of such distin--
guished onsupsrts as Archbishop
Blenk, Bishfr post de Ven and Unit
ed States bysF Osteri largely
founded on Mss yrehension and mis-
construction of the intent and effect
of the measure, and an unreasonable
mistrustEof the general assembly,
which will have the power to remedy
defects and repair inequities that may
become apparent in the practical
operation and application of the new
system. Nobody defends our pres
ent methods Of assessment and tax
alton. Every admits the desira-
bility Of reform. The part of wisdom,
therefore, is to accept the reform Of
fered rather than to countenance the
plea for delay and thus perpetuate
the existing evils and in
Justices. .
The weight Of argument has been
decidedly in favor Of all the amend
ments that have. excited discussion,
except as to No. III, the .grand-
father" measure, and we regard that
as Of little practical Importance. An
unexpectedly small number Of per-
sons. registered under the clause as
il the constitution of |
1898, and it is doubtful if as many as
500 persons throughout the state
would care to take advantage of the |
extension of the provision
GET THE GOOD THING NOW.
# the reform of our grossly de-