Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1857-08-01
Reasons for voting TOR the New Com
Stituti0n.

Reasons for voting TOR the New Con.
StitNtion.
We have from time to time given various
reasons why we think the amended Consti
tuition to be submitted to vote in this Stat.
next Monday is superior to the existing one
The following three reasons set forth in Tho
language Of the Gate City should have
weight in everynnprejudced mind'
As h. the School Matters.
In relation to schools, for instance, one o
the prime interests of the State for the pres
ent and the future, our experience under the
old Constitution has been most lamentable
The legislation has been without system, in.
congruous, chargeable and contradictory
and the management of the schools has beer
inefficient, and the funds have been corrupt.
Iy diverted to private use and speculations
resulting in great loss to the State. Tho
sy TEN proposed in the new Constitution is
in its main features, similar to that adopted
and advocated in States where the cause OF
education has made the greatest progress
and has the most expe1 fenced advocates OF
schools for its endorsers. The Board who
will have the management of :he schools
of the State are TO be selected by the sever.
Judicial Districts, and will be chosen from
among that class of men who have paid most
attention to education and are best qualified
to adopt measures for the promotion and
welfare of the schools. And, as a matter OF
course, few men selec ed from variou.
portions of the State with special reference
to their, quail heations for the management OF
the system of education, and with ample
time to attend,to the business, will be more
likely to frame wise system and watch ant
guard its operations, than large body o.
men like the Legislature, selected with n.
special view to that subject, and having s
great variety of other kinds Of business te
attend to-. Surely experience and common
sense render it evident that in regard TO the
great interests Of education, the new Con.
stitution is far preferable to the old.
The Nuisance Of Special Legislation Adated
The new Constitution contains prohibi-
ton Of special legislation. Let any one at
tend a session OF our Legislature, or exam.
inc q volume of our statutes and he will be
willing to torego every objection he may
honestly entertain to the new Constitution
for the sake of this provision. We venture
to say that four. tifths of the time and the
energies of the members of the General AS
sembly are absorbed by private bills and
special legislation of various kinds, and the
| number of such bills passed bears about thai
proportion to the general laws of the ses-
sion. These private bills attract great in.
fux Of lobby members, who press them upon
the attention of the Legislature very fire.
II, 20 uft rfn
bills of general interest and Importance
This special legislation is "a very great nui-
sance, leading to the sacrifice of important
bills of general character, adding immense
ly to the expense of legislation, opening the
avenues of corruption, and oftentimes doing
great injustice to zone class of private indi.
viduals for the benefit of another. Unde,
the prohibition Of the new Constitution the
source of all these evils will be dried up.
Tine Of Holding Elec ions.
The change ofitime for holding the gen.
eral elections of The State, provided for by
the new Constitution, was made in accord.
ance with universal desire on the par. OF
the people. The experience of other States,
as well as Of our own, has demonstrated the
Inconvenience ard inpolicy of holding cleo
tons in August, and they have consequent
ly changed to the month of October. The
people of our State desire the same change,
and the new Constitution makes it. This
general desire for change is reasonable
The people Of our country claim the right
of selfgovtrnnent, and a~e held response
bic for tho. exercise of the right wisely and
wei. In order 70 do 50 they must inform
themselves IN regard to principlesand meas
ures, and Learn the views of those who are
proposed fox office, and they mast also at
tend the polls. Midsummer, the busiest and
hottest season of the year, is not q suitable
time for q majority OF our people to attend
TO these great duties of citizen sovereignty,
and they do well, therefore, to deter the
election till October.