The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1920-11-17
PARKER SAYS
PEOPLE DEMAND
SHORT DOCUMENT
Continued from Page one)


is sergeant-at-arms of the house of
representatives. Both are from New
Orleans.
By direction of the legislature
through concurrent resolutions passed
by both houses, Mr.. Simpson is as
sembling the constitutions of all Of
the other states of the union and COM
piling a set Of rules for the constitu-
tional convention This is being done
in order to facilitate the work Of the
convention. The constitutions of the
other states and the gules will be
ready when the convention assemblies.
Now that it has been definitely set
tied that a constitutional convention
will be held, and following the selec-
ton of 80 per cent Of the membership
much interest is being shown in the
work that is to be done by the conven-
ton, both by the delegates as well as
citizens generally. All the delegates
seen by the writer up to this time seem
profoundly impressed at the serious
ness of the duties before them.
One of the subject that is being dis
cussed by the delegates, and espe-
cially the lawyer members. is that
of the reformation of the Judiciary
system Of the state. The present sys-
tenn is unsatisfactory both to lawyers
and laymen, but opinions differ as to
/ the remedy that should be proposed.
Nearly every lawyers and every citi-
zen has opinions on the subject, and
one of the great problems that will
confront the convention will be to
harmonic these differences Of opin-
ion, and devise a system that will be
satisfactory to a majority Of the law
yers and the masses Of the people.
An illustration of the wide differ
ences Of opinion, even among the law
| yers, is shown by the committee OF
the state bar association that was
appointed to, present plan for re
! forming the Judiciary to the constitu
tional convention. One of the mem
! bers Of the committee said this week
! that there are as many opinions on
this question as there are members OF
the special committee, which means
that every member of the committee
! has reform plan of his own. Although
this wide difference of opinion exists
the members of the committe are hope
full of getting together on a concrete
plan before the date for the assemb
ling of the convention.
Views of Delegates
Many other subjects as well as that
of judiciary are being discussed. Eu
gene Cazedessus, one of the delegates
from Baton Rouge, wants the time foI
the payment Of taxes changed. The
convention, he thinks, should either
do this, or give the legislature auth
ority to make the change.
Under the present system" Mr..
Cazedessus said, many of the parish
es are forced to borrow money and
pay interest thereon because the ex
penses of the parish government must
be met long before the taxes are col
ilected. Taxes have to be paid any.
way, mad cannot be evaded,, and there
is no reason why the taxpaying period
should not be moved up. Being in the
banking business, l have seen how
the present system works to the de.
triment Of the parishes"
Mr.. Cazedessus is a strong advocate
of a short organic law.
| 'T believe" he said "the constitu.
ton should embrace the fundamentals
Of law in as simple and concise Ian.
guage as possible and should be read.
able and understandable by the aver.
age citizen. 1t should be short"
| Paul G. Brown and J. A. Carville,
delegates from Iberville, take a sim
liar view concerning brevity.
1.-THE new constitution" Mr.. Boron
said Should be short and concise as
possible conducive Of good govern
ment. l am opposed to putting legis-
lation in the constitution.
"A short concrete constitution, en-
bracing all governmental fundamen-
tai and stripped of all legislation, is
what the state needs" Mr.. CarviHe
said, "the legislature should be Civ
en- wider latitude. If laws are I'M
popular and unsatisfactory the people
can make the legislature repeal them,
whereas, if an unpopular law is put
into the constitution, it will require
the submission Of an amendment to get
it out This is costly and cumber-
some"
w. Carruth Jones, one Of the dele
gates from East Baton Rouge, is ad-
vocating the insertion of a provision
in the constitution placing alimita-
ton on special taxation
Taxation and Suffrage
at is not the regular state and pa
rochial taxes that make the tax bills
so high" Mr.. Jones said. at is the
special taxes and l am in favor of
placing a limitation upon them. The
people should be given a breathing
spell in the tax-paying line.