LOUISIANA. 



423 



verdict accordingly, and the judge of the criminal 

 district court remands him to the parish prison 

 without a commitment to the insane asylum, the 

 judge of the civil district court lias authority if, 

 in liis opinion, lie is dangerous to the citizens and 

 the peace of the State to commit him to the in- 

 sane asylum of the State." 



.Mob Violence. A man and a woman of vicious, 

 but apparently not criminal habits, living in a 

 house boat in Jefferson Parish, were murdered by a 

 mob in January, and the house was burned above 

 them. Two men charged with assault upon a 

 woman were taken from a jail in St. James Parish 

 in February and lynched. One had confessed. 



For an attempted assault upon two girls a negro 

 was lynched at Emporia in March. 



Three Italians charged with murder were taken 

 from a jail at Hahnville. in August, and lynched. 

 The Italian ambassador at Washington asked an 

 explanation from the State Department, and the 

 Governor was called upon for a report in reference 

 to the crime. 



Legislative Session. The Legislature met on 

 May 11 and adjourned on July 8. There were 28 

 Democrats. 7 Republicans, and" 1 Populist in the 

 Senate, and GO Democrats, 24 Republicans, and 14 

 Populists in the House. Albert Estopinal was 

 chosen President pro tern, of the Senate, and Sam- 

 uel P. Henry Speaker of the House. The returns 

 of the election were considered on May 14 in joint 

 session, and by a vote of 86 to 48 it was decided not 

 to go behind" the returns. The election of a 

 United States Senator to succeed X. C. Blanchard 

 was next in order. The candidates were Mr. 

 Blanchard, Walter D. Denegre, Mr. Price. Judge 

 Blackman. and Judge S. 1). McEnery. Mr. Dene- 

 gre was the candidate of the Citizens' League, and 

 was supported also by Republicans and Populists. 

 Judge McEnery was his strongest opponent, and 

 was elected by a majority of 3 after a long con- 

 test, at the end of which the other candidates 

 withdrew, leaving only Mr. Denegre opposed to 

 him. 



The Governor sent a special message, June 24, 

 urging the Legislature to pass a resolution in favor 

 of calling a constitutional convention, and to amend 

 the election laws. He recommended that a special 

 election be held for passing upon the question of 

 holding a convention, and at the same time electing 

 delegates to serve in case the vote should be in 

 favor of it. 



The Legislature passed the resolution providing 

 for a constitutional convention. The Republicans 

 favored a convention unlimited as to the subjects 

 on which it might change the present provisions of 

 the Constitution, and the Democrats were in favor 

 of limiting. When the question of prescribing the 

 subjects to which action should be limited came up, 

 it was found difficult, and the decision was that the 

 convention should be prohibited from action that 

 would disturb existing conditions in certain depart- 

 ments of the government. The date for the elec- 

 tion is fixed for the second Tuesday in January. 

 1898, and the opening of the convention for the 

 second Tuesday in February. 1898. 



A new election law was passed, to go into effect 

 immediately. The Australian ballot law is pre- 

 scribed for New Orleans, while the State at large 

 has a modified form of the same system. A new 

 registration law was also made to go into effect 

 Jan. 1. 1897. It provides for entire new registra- 

 tion all over the State. 



A new charter was provided for Xew Orleans, 

 completely reorganizing the system of municipal 

 government, as demanded by the Citizens' League. 

 Other measures for the city were: An Act provid- 

 ing for the establishment of a port commission to 



take charge of the wharves; a drainage act; and 

 amendments to the police-board act. 



Other acts were : 



Amending the act concerning forgery or altering 

 of railroad or steamboat tickets or pat 



To establish a State naval battalion. 



Providing for a jury commission in each parish 

 except Orle 



Fixing the age of consent at sixteen years. 



Prohibiting the sale of liquors, except for medici- 

 nal uses. etc.. within certain distances (3 to 8 mile>) 

 of certain colleges and high schools. 



Providing for an additional building at the Blind 

 Institute. 



Making it a misdemeanor to gamble with dice for 

 money or any representative of money. 



Authorizing any married woman to deposit 

 money or other funds in any banks in Louisiana, 

 whether national or State banks, and to withdraw 

 same from said banks without the authorization, 

 assistance, or intervention of her husband. 



Making it a misdemeanor for any owner, lessee, 

 proprietor, or manager of any theater, hall, etc., 

 where an admission fee is charged, to permit any 

 person or persons to wear during the performance a 

 hat sufficiently high to obstruct the view of the 

 persons sitting behind. 



Appropriating $30,000 for an additional building 

 at the State University. 



To encourage and develop the oyster industry. 



Making April 6 a legal holiday. 



Protecting lessees of public ferry privileges on 

 the Mississippi river and other streams in the en- 

 joyment of their rights : to prohibit the crossing of 

 persons in skiffs or other craft over said streams, 

 except by ferry lessees, within two miles of any es- 

 tablished public fern* landing. 



Among the concurrent resolutions were these: 

 Authorizing the Bureau of Agriculture to make an 

 exhibit at the Omaha Exposition: congratulating 

 Tennessee rn its one hundredth anniversary and 

 recommending private exhibits by Louisiana citi- 

 zens at the exposition : memorializing Congress to 

 grant belligerent rights to the Cubans ; requesting 

 Senators and Representatives of the State to urge 

 the appropriation by Congress of $20,COO to re- 

 move obstructions from Bayou Vermillion. 



Political. The State election took place on 

 April 21. There were two tickets in the field the 

 Democratic and the combination ticket of Repub- 

 licans, National Republicans, and Populists. 



There were 20 amendments to the Constitution to 

 be voted upon. These were prepared by a commis- 

 sion appointed by the Governor and Legislature, 

 and were intended to give a practically new Consti- 

 tution to the State without the intervention of a 

 constitutional convention. For a list of the pro- 

 posed amendments, see the "Annual Cyclopaedia" 

 for 1894. page 443. The one on qualification for 

 the suffrage, requiring that every citizen who is to 

 have the fight to vote shall be able to read and 

 write in his'mother tongue, or to own $200 worth 

 of taxable property, and to have paid his poll tax. 

 was one of the important issues in the campaign. 

 The Democrats generally were in favor of it. though 

 some of their local organizations declared against 

 it : the Republicans and Populists opposed it. 



The Democratic ticket was placed in the field 

 Dec. 18, 1895. The Governor, Auditor, and Attor- 

 ney-General were renominated. The other candi- 

 dates were : For Lieutenant Governor, Robert H. 

 Snyder. Jr. : Secretary, John T.Michel: Treasurer. 

 A. V. Fournet ; Superintendent of Education, J. V. 

 Calhoun. 



The convention refused to give any expression on 

 the currency question, leaving that for the later 

 one for choosing delegates to the national conven- 



