The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-06-25

Columbia. La, June Y, 1919
Editor Gale Il Waterman,
Dear Sir: :,
want to thank you for your kindly
mention of my name Lass week, as
suitable person to represent the Paf-
ish of Caldwell in the proposed Consul
tutional Convention; and to say after
comforting with some friends | have
concluded to submit my name 10 tne
voters of the Parish as a candidate Tor
that position, although know that II
falls to my lot TO represent them III
that convention, | shah have to 90 50
at a considerable financial loss to my,
self. But this would be compensated
by the honor Of representing my peo-
ple. and the satisfaction it would give
me to have my name connected with
DISCRIMINATING epoch in the affairs OF
our State government. however, l
want the people of Caldwell PARISH 10
understand that am opposed to the
holding of Constitutional Convention
at this time or at any other time IN the
near future, and | shall take it upon
myself to do whatever lies in my pow
err to defeat the holding Of such con
vention. The reasons for my Oppose
ton to the convention are so numer-
Gus that it will not be possible, Tor
lack of space in your paper, to set
them forth here, but shall be G. ad
to give them to people, at every avail
able opportunity both in pubic anu
nrjyate statements
In the event that majarlty OF the
people of the State vote in favor OF
the Convention and should be chosen
to represent Caldwell Parish in that
Convention, shall be found on all oc-
casions voting for those ordinances
which will make of our State govern
nent. Democracy in the broadest and
truest sense of that word. And IN
keeping with this assertion, | want to
say to my people here and now, that
am and will be at ali times unalterably
opposed to going back to the appoin-
tive system, as was suggested some
time ago by State Senator Walter }.
Burke in letter to A. P. Pujo, and l
shall always contend for the election
of all public officers by a majority
vote OF the people.
believe that every man who holds
a commission from the people OF the
State or from the people of my sub
division thereof, should be required to
surrender that commission to the peo-
pie every four years, and | shall,
therefore, oppose the adoption Of any
article as a part of the Constitution
which will give any man life tenure
in any office, or the lengthning of the
term of any office beyond four year
period.
am not wholly satisfied with the ju-
dietary system of the State, and |
have some ideas upon that question
that may not be very common, but |
shall avoid the support OF any system
that will make this branch of our gov
eminent any more burdonsome than it
is at present. However, | may lay in
this connection, that do not believe
that it would be wise to interfere with
the present arrangement Of the Dis
trict Courts. But do believe that
4 our Circuit Court of Appeals as now
constituted should not remain a
4 part of our judicial system, for while
it was instituted, or the trainers of the
Constitution of 1898 tell us, in the IN
terest of the poor litigant, it has prov
ed itself anything but a benefit to him.
There ought to be Encouragement
of the Supreme Court of the State,
but in my opinion, there is no necessi
ty of any increase in the membership
of that Court. If the members of
that court would expend the time in
work instead of fritting it away in late
coverings, early adjournments and
long vacations the congestion of the
docket which is now complained of by
lawyers and litigants would not
exist
C. P. THORNHILL