The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1916-10-21
THE DEBATABLE AMENDMENTS.

l.
The Chief has endeavored to faclll-
tate and simplify the task of sensing
and discussing the eighteen proposed
constitutional amendments upon
which the voters of Louisiana are 60
mass Judgment in November, and as
first means to this end we have divided
the batch into three divisions OF SIX
measures each. In the first division we
have placed the five appertalnlng ex-
clusively to the city OF New orleans
or parish of Orleans and the one ex-
clusiyely affecting the city OF ShreVe-
mort, The second division embraces
six propositions which seem so merit
orious and unobjectionable that no
onnosition to their adoption has been
ar is likely to be developed. We have
taken it for granted, therefore, that
twelve of the eighteen amendments
will be freely and generally support
ed by the people of the state, ana
that only the remaining SIX really re-
ouire any particular elucldatlon or de-
hate in order to familiarize the cleo
torate with their provisions and mer-
it's to the end that the measures may
be weighed and passed upon under
standingly.
Taking these six propositions in the
order of their PRONUNCIATION, the first
is act No. %, which will be the third
on the ballot, and is designated as
an amendment of article 27O of the
constitution. This article empowers
the general assembly to enact general
laws authorizing the parochial, ward
and municipal authorities of the state,
by a majority vote of tax payers in
number and value, to levy special tax
es not exceeding five mills and not to
run longer than ten years, lin aid OF
public improvements or railway enter
prises." The amendment simply adds
''river transportation lines, such as
steamboat and barge lines, and navi-
cation canals" to the section, and
there can surely be no serious obJec-
ton to the inclusion of these objects
among the others for which the tax
payers of the different communities
are permitted to voluntarily tax them
selves.
Act No. 81, sixth on the ballot, pro-
poses to amend article 210 of the con-
stitution. prescribing the qualifica-
tions of officeholders, by inserting the
proviso that resident women over the
age of twenty-one years shall be ellgl-
| BILE to hold the Office Of factory in
spector and any Office connected with
the educational, eleemosynary, penal
and correctional systems Of the state,
parish, ward, municipality or any
other political division of the state. !"
There is no question of woman suf-
frage involved in this amendment, and
nothing new or novel. 1t is simply
seeking to restore privilege grant
ed to the women of this state under a
former constitutional provision which
was omitted rather by accident than
design from the present constitution.
It is agreed that the office of factory
inspector should be filled by woman
rather than a man, and it has been SO
filled for number of years past with
general satisfaction; and we can i'm
agine no reason why any citizen of
Louisiana can object to reopening the
door for the service Of women on the
boards having control of public
schools, asylums, hospitals and penal
institutions. These are not salaried
positions, but have to do largely with
the education, rearing and welfare of
the children of the state, and with the
care of destitute orphans. insane, in
durable and otheEs depend lent unfortu-
mates who become public charges.
Women are often better fitted for
such work than men are, hence our
women should be given the right to
share in it.
Act No. 1876, eleventh on the bal
lot, proposes to amend article 129 of
the constitution, which directs the
general assembly to provide for the
fees of sheriffs, clerks and recorders,
justices of the peace, constables and
coroners in all civil matters, the
amendment to be comprised in the fol
lowing added provisions: SALARIES
may be fixed for said officials, and if
the fees and costs collected by them
exceed such salaries, such excess NAV
be disposed of according to law. Acts
Nos. 142 and 143 of the general as
sembly of 1916 on this subject mat
ter, shall go into effect as statutes of
the state on July /, 1917" This leg
lslation contemplates a reform that
has long been discussed by the people
and demanded by what has seemed
compensation of the officials named
and to curtail the excessive emolu-
ments heretofore enjoyed by some of
these in the larger parishes.
| A 1t NJ
proposes to amend articles 225 and
226, which appertain to property as
sessment and taxation. The change
IN article 225 is to consist of the elm
nation of the provision that "The
valuations put upon property for the
TO DE heavy preponderance of public
sentiment. 1t tends to equalize the
purposes of state taxation shall be
taken as the proper valuation for pur-
poses of local taxation in every sub
division of the state" and the substi-
tut1UH OF the following: THE vaIua-
ton of property for the assessment of
state taxes, levied by the general as
sembly and this constitution, may be
dlHerent from the valuation fixed for
other purposes" Article 226, which
creates the state board of appraisers
and declares the duty of the body to
De to assess the property belonging
to corporations, associations and indi-
Vlduals employed in railway, tele-
graph, telephone, sleeping car and ex-
press business" is to be amended and
re-enacted to read as follows:
Article 226. There shall be and