New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1920-03-13
A NEW CONSTITUTION.

While many issues and questions were
discussed and fought over in the late
primary campaign, no difference of opjn-
ION was found as TO the necessity of
constitutional COW cutiou and a revision
and rev: ting OF our organic law. Both
OF til cane aatc5 for the gubernatoral
uomiratIou crc'~rc7 " favor of a con-
ycatior ar4 rev Constitution, clearer,
more Condensed and mere to the point
thar ou1 present one. The latter, is has
long been recognized, is too diffuse ron
talrs too many petty and lrili1E pro,i-
sions, and has been too often and too
much amended 20 be of much practical
use or advantage todav 1t is out Of
date il IS pointed out. and needs thor
ough revision The sentiment of the
state on this point is unanimous. As a
matter of fact there has beeu a demand
for a new Constitution for several years,
which had failed only on the question Ct
by whom the revision should be made.
During the campaign some question was
raised to the size of the convention,
whether it should be a small or a large
body, but this is easily settled
1t had been suggested during the dis
that the convention should bc
called at an early day so that Louisiana
could free itself as soon as possible from
the unwise provisions and conditions Ga
our present law In his speech before the
Rotary Club Mr.. Parker, the nominee,
makes a strong argument against too
much hurry, asserting that the convcu-
ton should be held in 1921, instead Of
this winter, as some request. He appeals
to the people of the state on this point,
and We feel satisfied that the arguments
he presents will be found satisfactory
and convincing, and that the public
sentiment Of Louisiana viii support his
views. To frame such 4 Constitution rs
we need. it is well to be wholly free and
removed from elections and factioual or
partisan difference. 1t is true that Mass
achusetts went towork during the great
war revising and rewriting its Constitd-
tiou-and that the work was generally
well done, but it was the only case Of
the kind reported; and the other new
Constitutions or amendments proposed
were generally received by the people as
unwise and voted down.
Many matters await the action Of our
lawmakers, but they can be handled, sor
the present at least, by the General As
sembly. By next year all these ques-
tons will have been discussed, the policy
of the state administration will have
been determined, and the people wiil
have found their bearings; and II will be
an easy matter to determine exactly what
should be done. Any conspiracy to ua-
dermine and defeat the wishes Of u.e
Democratic white voters of the state, as
expressed at the primary, will have long
since passed away There viii be uo.e
of the wrange and confusion that the
conspirators hoped for, and il will be
possible to do the work of revision tho;
oughly and satisfactorily with the least
obstruction and delay.
In the meanwhile the Legislature will
meet and will go over the field. We
will be better able to see exactly what
is at fault and what changes are needed
and called for.
The legislative session promises to
be an exceptionally busy cne, for there
have been manv measures left over from
past years Action on them will polrt
out what Louisiana should do in meas
ures of conservation, taxa alton. revenues
and budgets. Ample time VIII be lett
for full discussion before the people 20
as to assure the work Of Constitution re-
vision being done thoroughly and perm
anently. The wisdom OF the course . l.
vocated by Mr.. Parker has been clearly
demonstrated by the previous experience
of Louisiana and other states that have
undertaken to rewrite their organic laws
and to bring them up to date.-Times-
Picayune.