The Natchitoches enterprise., 1914-08-27


bly, of the State of Louisiana of the
year 1919, and adopted at the Con-
Eressional election held on the 5th
day of November. 1912. and as readop-
ted by the Constitutional Convention
of the State OF Louisiana for the year
1918.
Section l. Be it resolved by the Gen
eral Assembly of the State of Louisiana,
two-thirds (2-3) of all the members eiec-
ted to each house concurring. Ihat
paragraphs two (2) and three Oh of
Article Two Hundred and Btghty-one
(2S1l of the Constitution of the State or
Louisiana be amended so as to read as
follows;
ARTICLE 2S1,
Paragraph 2. Police Juries IN any par
ish or parishes may in accordance with
law create drainage districts, which IN
addition to the powers heretnaboVe
granted, shall have further power and
authority to establish and maintain
drainage systems and the governing au-
therities of such districts. when au,
thOrized by majority IN NUMBER ana
amount of the property taxpayers Gf SAID
district qualified to vote ender the Con
stitution and laws of the state OF Louis
lana who vote in an election held Tor
that purpose, may, for the purpose OF
establishing and maintaining gravity
drainage in such districts. impose and
collect for a period not exceeding forty
(40) years forced contributions or acre
age taxes not exceeding fifty cents $50
81
acre of land. which is susceptible of
gravity drainage. in the subdivision
wherA' such an election Is held The
governing authority ST such subd1Vl-
siohs, whsn apFholized AZ gel t9Eth; may
represent same, secured by the forced
contribution or acreage taxes above de
srribed Hr4ytdsd that the lotat amount
of debts thus incurred sc bends issued
shall not exceed in principal and inter-
est the aggregate amount 10 he raised
by said annual contributions or
acreage taxes during the period TOR
which the same are imposed ana that no
such bonds shall be issued for any other
~urnose than that for which the said
6,.r,h,,+iors ""reaEe taxes are vo-
ter, to run for a longer periou ,..,-..
~ i4Ol years. bear a greater rate OF IN
terest than five per cs".uEt per alhuili. M
payable annually or Semi-anhuaitS OF
to be sold for less than ninety per cen.
tum $50 per cent? of par. And the Board
of Commissioners oil Drainage District
without submission to the taXpaNers
are authorized to levy additional taxes
under the terms and conditions OF TINS
article and within the limits liked
thereby for the purpose OF pcrfectlnS
and completing any system OF drainage
eighty per cent of which shall have been
ACCOMPLISHED at the time OF said adhl-
tional levy of taxes. and 10 fund the
AvaiIs of said additional levy of taxes
into bonds under the terms and condi-
tionS set forth in the present artlcie
Paragraph g. When the character of
any land is such that 1t must be levied
and pumped in order to be drained and
reclaimed the Board of Drainage Com
missioners of the district In which the
land is situated, shall upon the petition
of land owners, whether individuals or
corporations resident or nonresident.
owning not less than majority or
acres in the area to be affected, ascer-
tain the cost per acre of draining and
6Ainf inc
each and every acre of land thus situa-
ted for an amount suff1c1erf to drain
and reclaim it, and to issu for such
debt negotiable bonds for tho total ag-
gregate amount of the totaI cost OF
such drainage which bonds shall run
not longer than forty (40) Vars from
their date and bear interest at a rate
not exceeding five per centuD per an
NUN, payable annually or semt-annually.
and shall be sold for not less than
ninety per .centuna fae per cepsf OF par
ana eafd Beard e5f Dssef0ayfS @e'Prass.t~-
sfoners SHAH each year as long as any
on each and every acre of land. whetl1-
er public or private. situated in said
drainage or subdrainage district, forced
contributions or acreage taxes in an
amount per acre sufficient to mainte,;
the drainage of the said district or sub
drainage district, to pay the interest an
nually or semi-annually and the princi-
an, amount ii's as may @ be required for any
sinking fund for the payment of said
bonds at maturity, provided. that such
forced contributions or acreage taxes
for all purposes shall never exceed
Three Dollars and Fifty Cents ($350)
DER acre per annum.
All bonds heretofore issued under and
by virtue of this Article 2Sl of the Con-
stitution by the governing authority of
any subdivision, which have heretofore
not been declared invalid by judgment
of court of last resort in the State of
Louisiana and more than sixty (60)
days have elapsed since the promulga-
tion of the proceedings evidencing the
issuing of said bonds. are hereby recog-
nized and declared to be valid and exist
ing bonds and obligations of the district
or subdivision issuing the same and no
court shall have jurisdiction to enter
tain any contest wherein ,neir validity
or constitutionality is questioned.
Section 2. Be 1t further resolved, etc,
That this proposed amendement shall
be submitted to the qualified voters OF
this State for adoption or rejection at
the Congressional election to be held
in November. 1914, and, II adopted. the
same shall take effect Immediately
thereafter.
Section g. Be it further resolved. etc.
That on the official ballots to be issued
at said election there shall be placed
the words For the Proposed Amend
ment to Paragraphs Two 90 and Three
~(3) of Article Two Hundred and Eighty
one of the Constitution of Louisiana,
ana the words Against the Proposed
Amendment to Paragraphs Two (2l and
Three (3) Of Article Two Hundred and
Eighty-one of the Constitution of Lou
isiana, and each elector shall indicate,
8 provided in the general election laws
of the State, which of the propositions,
"For" or AGAINST" he votes.
THOMAS c. BARRETT.
Lieutenant Governor and President of
the Senate.
l.. F.. THOMAS.
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Approved: July Q. 1914
l.. f. HALL!
Governor of the State of Louisiana.
A true copy:
ALVIN z. HEBERT.
Secretary of State.