The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1912-07-05

name their teachers and otherwise to
control their local school systems. In
the final arraignment of the details of
the bill. should changes or additions
be deemed necessary, this principle
should be scrupulously observed. Any
criticism that the observance Of this
principle will result in the selection of
incompetent superintendent and
teachers and in injury to the efficiency
of the school system would display a
lack OF proper regard for the wishes
of the people who pay the taxes to
maintain the school system. They have
rightly rebelled against 2 system
which deprives them of efficielt rep
resentation and control by the cree
ton of a school oligarchy.
Conservation Policy.
The conservation of the natural
resources of all kinds of the state is
necessary and wise policy and should
not be directly or indirectly aban-
doned. The bill to create a statewide
system for the enforcement of all con.
Servation measures seeks the radical
Curtailment Of the executive power eX-
listing under the present system which
has been so generally denounced. A
commission or board to protect and de-
YelOp the oyster, srimp and salt water
fish industries would in any event
have to be maintained. The bill pro-
poses to obviate the necessity for the
creation Of one or more commissions
or boards by giving one board general
conservation powers. AS a Sbstitute
for the office of parish game warden,
as now constituted, it is proposed to
make the COnstableS of the several
parishes eX-officio game wardens of
their respective wards or parishes and
to pay them, as compensation for their
services, one-half of the fines collect
ed in cases reported by them An an
nual license of % cents is levied on all
resident Iaturalized hunters to de-
fray the cost of maintenance of the
system. This is a very small license,
and surely no one who desires the pro-
lection of game and fish could rightly
complain of its imposition.
Evils Eradcated.
THE police juries are given the pow,
or tO annoiut ono or moro conservation
agents or game wardens for their re,
spective parishes and to levy license
equal 10 that levied by the state to pay
the compensation fixed by them. But
the exercise of this power is left en-
tirely discretionary with them
With these main features retained
in the bill reasonbly efficient system
will be erected and at the same time
the evils of the old system will be
eradicated.
1t would be impossible to abolish the
license for hunting without destroying
all efficient means for the protection
of game and fish. The platform or
which the administration came into
power recognized the necessity fol
the imposition OF reasonable license
Taxation Revision.
"In my inaugural address it wa.
suggested that in order properly to re
wise our assessment and taxation laws
which need radical amendment o.
change, a constitutional convention b.
called with limited membership ant
power restricted to the one subject o
assessment and taxation. This sug
gestion was made under the realiza
ton of the fact that the general as
sembly could not at this session Civ
the subject the careful and Thorough
consideration which it would requir
and was followed by the introduction
of bill to call the convention. TIL
conclusion reached has been verifie
by the circumstances that notwitf
standing the session is now far advant
ed, no one has undertaken to prOpOs
any amendments to accomplish needle
reforms if the present system. whic
everyone recognizes to be unsatisfat
tory, to say the least.
, Commission Suggested.
, 'If. however, the general assembl
should prefer to undertake the wor
itself, | suggest the prompt passage {
r an act to create commission to dral
, the necessary constitutional amen'
i. ment or amendments, the commissio
, to be composed of members selecte
, from each house and of citizens {
, the state who are not members of tn
! general assembly. This commissio
, could make It's report probably in Al
o gust. An extraordinary session {
g the general assembly could then /
convened to consider the report an
to propose the amendment or amen
O ments to the people to be voted on {
! the approaching congressional ele
l.. ton. The necessary enabling ac
O could be passed at the same time, CO
ditioned upon the adoption of tn
h amendment or amendments. shou
q cordially cooperate in any plan whit
YOU may finally propose. | urge upt
YOU, however, the importance
A prompt action in the premises.
j. Fertilizer inspection.