The St. Mary banner., 1921-06-11

ule article 1el Of the constitution pro
htb.ttug members OF the Legislature
and other public officials from ac-
cepttng free passes on railroads and
inserting a provision requiring the
Legislature to enact and anti pass
laws is meeting with considerable
criticism among delegates
Article l91 was written into the
convention of 1898 az the result of a
fight led by Mr.. Carver of Natchi-
toches, Railroad passes had been
distributed among members of the
Legislature. judges and other public
officials TO such an extent that il had
become scandal In the state.
Through the pernicious use OF passes,
1t was charged, the railroads were
able TO prevent the passage Of bills
through the Legislature creating q
Railroad Commission.
The Legislature had the authority
at lidl IliHS W 0IldCt pass Id " y,
but the influence of passes over the
lawmakers was 80 powerful that 1t
was impossible to secure the passage
of such acts. To meet this situation,
the convention Of 1898 adopted an ar
ticel that penaliZed the acceptance Of
a pass by a member Of the legisla-
ture or other official with forfeiture
OF office.
The pass evil has been recognized
in other states. and articles were
written into their C onstitutions pro-
hibiting the acceptance OF free trans
portation by public officials. This was
found necessary because Of railroad
influence over Legislatures by the use
Of passes, Alabama W rote a provi.
sion into her constitution more dras.
tic than that adopted In Louisiana.
An attempt will be made to place
in the constitution an antipass provi-
sion with teeth in 1t before the ses-
sion closes.
The people OF New Orleans will
have the opportunity Of voting to levy
a tax Of one-fifth OF mill upon them
selve srofteh zb emf bw lin au an
selves for the establishing OF zoo.
A caucus Of the New Orleans dele
gates to the Constitutional Conven-
ton was held recently and this agreed
upon The question had been before
the taxation committe and represen-
tatives Of the zoo association appear.
ed before it. The committee decided
to leave it to the New Orleans dele
gates and required Charles Rosen to
call a conference OF them
Mr.. Roseu presided and other New
Orleans delegaes present were Colo
mel John P. Sullivan. Martin Behrman.
w. W. Cummings. Esmonds Phelps.
George E. Williams. William H.
Byrnes, Jr. Harold A. Noise. j. O..
Fernandez, Judge Charles F. Clai-
borne. Charles d. O'Connor, E. NJ.
Stafford, DR.. v. X Iron and J. Henry
Blache.
! Judge Claiborne and Phil Arras en-
deavored to have the recommends
tion of the conference provide that a
zoo also should be established at City
Pork. They withdrew any objection
when 1t was explained that the loca-
ton of the zoo would be left entirely
up to the city. A nucleus for zoo
already has been established at Au-
dubon Park through the activities OF
The Times-Picayune
The conference, after a close vote,
decided that the levying of the tax
should be decided at an election in
which only property owners may vote.
Mr.. O'Connor and Colonel Sullivan
urged that It be left to a vote Of the
entire electorate but yielded in defer
ence to the wishes OF other delegates
who wanted the decision left to prop
erty owners only.
The New Orleans Geological Asso-
citation two years ago started the zoo
at Audubon Park and already has a
nice start through generous contribu-
tions OF Orleania1s. The one-fifth of
a mill tax, IL voted. will provide suf-
icient money for the establishing and
maintenance of a geological garden
which in a few years will vie with any
In the country. the ZOO boosters as
ssrt