Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-09-03
the DEFEAT OF the CONVENTION.

Incomplete returns from Tues
days election on the proposition to
hold Constitutional Convention,
show that the proposition was de-
feated by more than seven thousand
majority, only six or seven parishes
having voted in favor of same.
The City OF New Orleans rolled
up majority of more than IS, 900
in favor of the Convention, but this
majority, great though it was, was
swept aside by the food of votes
from the country parishes, where
the vote although small was over
whelmingly against the proposed
Convention.
Now that the election is over and
the people have been victorious, the
City press, which 80 staunchly ad-
vocated the holding of the Conven-
ton, is trying to analyze the cause
which led up to the great defeat.
As usual with some of them, they
call those who opposed them, tax
dodgers, and CLAIM, that they were
all actuated by some improper mo-
tives, instead of recognizing the fact
that those who opposed the prop
osition were just as honest in their
views and in the stand which they
took, as were those who favored it.
In our opinion, the main cause
OF defeat was the fear of the people
that their taxes would be greatly
increased. That this fear was well
founded, no sane person can deny. |
From the very beginning it was
understood that the prime reason
for holding the Convention was to |
increase the revenues, and no one |
ever attempted to inform us how |
this could or would be done without |
increasing taxation on an already |
overburdened people. Then too the
people were suspicious and not with
out cause. There was suspicion at
tached to the very manner in which
the Governor included the PROPOSE
ton for holding a convention in
his call for an extra session of the
General Assembly; there was sus-
picion attached to the original Sund-
berry Bill. which provided for
twenty-five delegates at large to be
selected in a manner that would
have made it easy for certain politi-
cal influences to dictate who they
should be-; there was suspicion at
tached to the original Sundberry
Bill for the reason it provided that
the Convention should adopt a new
Constitution without submitting the
same to the people for their ratifi-
cation or rejection, and the bill was
only amended in these two particu-
lars, after a most determined fight
on the part Of those who opposed
the proposition.
The people did not forget that the
original Sundberry Bill provided
that the Convention could not touch
upon the subject Of prohibition,
but were left free to validate the in
valid Baby Bonds and Coupon
Number IL and other discredited
obligations of reconstruction. 1t was
suspicion and fear which caused the
defeat. If in the beginning the peo-
pie had been taken into the conf
1ence of those who advocated the
Of the convention, the result
might have been different. Another
cause OF defeat was the belief that a
convention held during state cam
paign would be political battle
field, trial of strength between
waring political factions.
We congratulate the people on the
great victory and we extend thanks
70 such men as Ex-Governor San.
1ers, Attorney General Pleasant and
Speaker L. E. Thomas for the mag
nificent manner in which they led I
he forces of the people.