The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1915-08-07
CON CONSTITUTION
AL CONVENTION

constitutional Convention in
which he asks the Louisiana peo
pie to vote against it.:
wish to gay that my objec
uons to holding a Convention at
this time are manifold. In the
first place the Convention itself
with the various elections there
on will cost at least $3.50, 600. 90
to S175, 900 90, which will be an
added burden upon the tax pay.
ers of this State to pay, III addi.
tion to the S4O0, 900 90 shortage
they claim in the revenues and a
half million or more of interest
bearing bonds for the Peniten
tiary Board. Not only that, but
the p obabllitles are that the
Convention will be followed by
another extra session of the Gen
eral Assembly TO pass the neces
sary acts thereunder, which
would make four extra sessions,
two Constitutional Conventions,
a Tax COmmist ION and Probe
Commission, besides the :wo reg.
uiar sessions of the Legislature
during the present administra.
tiOn. fail to see the pressing
necessity for this ur due haste in
urging a Convention at this par.
ticulartime. The Legislature can
undoubtedly authorize New Or.
leans to fund her floating debt
into bonds, unless they want to
exceed the Constitutional limit,
the wisdom of which latter course
would certainly appear some
what doubtful. l also would
! call your attention to the fact
that 1t does not require Consti-
tutional Convention TO place off
cials on a salary basis, as the
legislature can do that If the peo
pie SO desire.
l do not believe there is any
great demand among the masses
of the people Of this State for a
Convention to be held now, and |
am sure they would be bitterly
opposed to it. if they thought 1t
was for the purpose Of iDcrea sing
taxation, with which they are al.
ready overburdened, and this
see ms to be one Of the principal
objects to the proponents of the
Convention.
There ie another reason why it
appears to me that Oonstitu.
|tional Convention held at this
time would be exceedingly oh
isctlonable and unfair to the in
coming State Administration to
be elected next spring. It is pro.
posed to lnaugurate an entirely
new method Of taxation, with
which the new administration
will have nothing TO do in it's
shaping, and yet the same admin.
istration is to be held by the peo
pie absolutely responsible for it's
success. If the new scheme of
taxes does not provide the neces
sary revenue, the new admins
trati0n will be blamed, and be
expected to make it work out
whether it will or not. Not only
that, but the citizens of New Or
leans who take aD interest 10
public affairs, tell you that the
City is already paying more than
it's share of the taxes and reve.
nues OF the government, and If
you are to expect more money it
must come from the country, and
other sources. Are you willing
TO stand for more taxes right now,
when our staple money crop, cot
ton, has been dem0ralized in
price by the European war. and
advertisements for tax sales are
more numerous, and tax burden
heavier than ever beforei | think
not.
One Of the main objections to a
Convention being held at this
time Is that ! honestly believe
that 1t will become largely poll.
tical Convention rather than that
solemn deliberative body itshould
be. Why, plenty of politicians
will tell you, "Jnst wait until the
Constitutional Convention is
held, and We will then select the
Governor for you." One candi-
date for Governor is already an
ssplrant for the Convention.
Whyi Another prospective OF
tentative candidate for Governor
has q brother running as a "Bull
Moose" delegate tor the Conven.
tion from st. Mary Parish. Nu-
merous political contests have al
ready been wsged for delegates
and considerable factionalism is
manifest. That Convention will
be composed largely it not almost
altogether of men, who take an
active interest in politics, and al
though the Convention system Of
nominating Cover n0rs has been
abolished by the Primary Elec.
ton Law, yet the politicians are
expecting this Constitutional
Convention to play its part and
have its share In naming our