The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1921-04-29


ordinances by Mr.. Barret of Caddo,
Mr. Pugh of Acadia and Mr. Roberts
, of Webster providing for submission
Of the new constitution to the people
for ratification or rejection.
The subject Of civil service for New
Orleans is scheduled for final action
Friday morning by the committee on
municipal and parochial corporations
Of the Constitutional Convention
Lines are drawn for a sharp fight in
the committee with the indications
pointing strongly to a favorable re-
port on the substitute bill prepared by
subcommittee through a division OF
sentiment among the o. D. A. dele
CATION from New Orleans over the
propriety of placing a civil service
article in tie constitution.
The leader in the fight against the
subject of civil service is the man
who saved it from defeat on the day
of its first hearing in the committee,
Colonel John P. Sullivan, president Of
the New Orleans Democratic Associa-
ton, who asserts the subject is one
which should be left to the Legisla-
ture. Charles Rosen is fighting hard
for it's adoption.
Colonel Sullivan's opposition to the
ordinance is based on the race ques-
ton, and developed because of a ne
gro recently standing and passing the
civil service examination for a place
on the New Orleans police force. The
ordinance was introduced by Mr.. Ro-
sen and on its first hearing before the
committee the subject was nearly de-
feated from a vigorous fight against
it led by former Mayor Martin Behr-
man. After majority of the COM
mite had evidenced their unfavora-
bic attitude towards the ordinance,
Colonel Sullivan succeeded in having
a motion adopted which declared the
principle of the Rosen civil service
ordinance to be a fit subject for con-
sideration by the Constitutional Con-
vention.
The committee On municipal and
paroachial affairs made wonderful
progress in disposing Of the great
mas sof ordinances which were re-
ferred to it, Subjects still pending be-
fore it involve civil service, Public
Belt Railroad, Sewerage and Water
Board and municipal ownership Of
public utilities, all directly affecting
New Orleans.
Recently this committee sat for
three hours in the morning and three
hours in the afternoon. A subcom-
mittee reported a substitute ordi-
nance providing the form of parish
government and requirements for
changing parish lines and parish seats
in accordance with numerous motions
adopted by the committee outlining
the opinion of the majority The first
motion adopted was that 1T was the
sense of the committee that the pres
ent form of parish government
should be modified.
The result was that an ordinance
introduced by the chairman Of the
committee, Wilson T. Peterman, as
compromise between the present po-
lice jury and commission government
systems eventually was decided upon
with a slight amendment as the
sense Of the committee. The substi-
tute provides that the name Of ''po-
lice jury shall be retained by the
parish governing board but that it's
members shall be elected by the par
ish at large though each must reside
in a different district. The member
ship is made either five or seven,
with the same number of districts,
size of the jury depending upon the
population Of the parish. 1t was prac-
tically agreed that the deciding num-
Der of population would be $4,000 or
10000.