Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-08-13
Why THE CONVENTION?

Hon. l.. h. Thomas, Speaker OF
the House of Representatives of
Louisiana, has issued, in pamphlet
form, the most powerful argument
against the holding of the Constitu-
tional Convention, which we give
elsewhere. In his argument, Mr..
Thomas shows that there are three
reasons advanced showing why we
should have the Convention. The
first is that we may increase the
membership of the Supreme Court
to seven instead of five, and as Mr..
Thomas says. this matter was thor
oughly considered by the Legisla-
ture in 1914, and after full, fair
and free discussion, the proposition
was rejected, the judges of the Su-
preme Court themselves, not being
able to agree upon any plan for the
reorganization of the Court, but if
such a reorganization is necessary,
it can easily be accomplished by one
amendment to the present Constitu-
ton. The next question or reason,
is to authorize the issuance of about
$500, 900 of bonds to relieve the
Penitentiary Board, and Mr..
Thomas shows that the present
Board would not be $500, 900 in
debt if it were not the result of bad
management, and suggests that if
the Governor would change the
management, conditions might i'm
prove. Governor Heard was at the
head of the Board for four years
during the Sanders administration,
and made a net profit of from $780,
600 to S119,O 900 per annum, and af-
ter building a sugar refinery at a
cost of $4O0, 900, went out of office
leaving the institution about $780,
600 in debt and in less than four
years the present administration has
increased that debt to $500, 900;
doesn't this look like bad manage
ment on the part of some one?
And the third and last reason for
the holding Of the proposed Conven.
ton is to increase the revenues of
the State, which the proponents of
the Convention claim can be done
without increasing taxation. Do
you believe it? Governor Hall says
that the finances OF the State have
broken down. Whose fault is it? He
was the man who was going to econ
omize in handling of the States
money and reduce expenses, but
what has he done? The expenses of
the State have increased with moth
ing in the shape of good accomplish
ed to show for it. If he has made a
failure, do you think it well, now that
his term has almost expired, to per-
init him to hold and attempt to run
Constitutional Convention when
he himself practically admits that
his administration has been a fail
ure? We hope the people of Louisi-
ana will STOP AND THINK. Mr..
Thomas winds up his article with
the following very pertinent ques-
ton to the people of the State: Are
you in favor of creating more SUI
preme Court Justices to provide a
berth for some one? Are you in
favor of issuing half million dol
lars more interest bearing bonds to
pay for the Penitentiary Boards bad
management? Are you in favor OF
raising more taxes or increasing as.
assessments to get more money, or do
you prefer practicing economy? Are
you in favor of holding a political
convention full of deals and dickers
instead of a Constitutional Conven-
ton to be held at a time when such
issues will not be injected therein?
IF you do not favor these things,
then go the polls on August 81 and
save the useless expense of $50, OOO
to the people of the State"