The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-04-28

committee will give hearing on the
ordinances by Mr.. Barrett 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.
Inc 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 sharp fight in
the committee with the indications
pointing strongly to a favorable re.
port on the substitute bill prepared by
a subcommittee through a division of
sentiment among the O. D. A. dele.
cation from New Orleans over the
propriety of placing a civi1 service
article in the constitution.
The leader in the fight against the
subject Of civil service is the man
who saved it from defeat on the day
or 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 its adoption.
Colonel Sullivan's opposition to the
ordinance is based on the race cues.
ton, and developed because of ne.
gro recently standing and passing the
civil service examination for 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 vigorous fight against
| 1t 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-
yention.
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 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
Z 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
o introduced by the chairman Of the
committee, Wilson T. Peterman, as a
compromise between the present po'
lice jury and commission government
i systems eventually was decided upon
> with slight amendment as the
sense of the committee. The substl
y tute provides that the name OF "po'
:, lice jury shall be retained by the
= parish governing board but that Its
. members shall be elected by the par
ish at large though each must reside
u IN a different district. The member
8 ship is made either five or seven
D. with the same number Of districts
J size of the jury depending upon the
j population of the parish. 1t was prac
T. tically agreed that the deciding mum
Il Der of population would be $4,000 OF
~ 40 600.