, 1870-07-09
FORCE OF EXAMPLE.
HAAnHcsotn " ants q New Constltu~
tion Like That OF Illinois.

| From the 81 Paul Prsss
!he adoption OF the new constitution Of Iii
| nois, by a reported majority of q IunireC
THOUSAND OF the popular yoto, with it's radical
ana comprehensive reforms OF old abuses,
where ripe for snch changes Of ri their fund5. @
mental Laws as experience has developed to BE-
| necessary to the correction Of CRYING owls.
aIu mat tuey only await an opportunity to
| app! IN adequate constitutional remedy to
etls.ns abuses The Constitution Of Min
the Worat defects Of the Old Illinois Con
stltafion, and many Of the evils which
haFe existed there from The want At
proper limitations On tho Legislative power in
some directions, and from its improper re-
sitiet1oh IN others, exist here in proportions
Which, az our population increases. ara beco1r,-
ing serious public grievance, and The fine !,
IaRloly approaching when an angry public
OPINION will demand like remedy. Indced.
~ the opinion Of many OF our most t1ourft
1ai pnnllc men, tile time las already arrived
wnen the framing Of new constitution is in-
neratirely required BY the expanded wants OF
the people, and tho progross Of public opin-
!qn, anu by the general experience Of the
aDuses sanctioned Or pcrmftted under nnr
present constitution W.
We pointed out yesterday several of the
noIs, which it wonld be desirable to ,ncorno-
me N the constitution Of this State, But
others scarcely less important are REQUIRED br
the circumstances OF our people.
Qno OF the clying.e.ils Of the time is the un-
restrained facility with which counties, cities.
anu towns are permitted to loan their crnlit
or Subscribe bonuees in aid OF railroads, wa
doutt very much the propricty OF the I1iinnis
pToFls'on prohibiting tlcse mupicipalif1cs
from making donations or loans Of credit to
faiiroad companies. especially einco they ara
aeeiafed to he public highways and subjected
f1t +,
sucn bonds should be limited to small par
cent OF the property valuation OF the tnTn
nor should any bonus or loan Of credit to
purely private corporation be allowed, aud ali
Giuss, counties, towns. dc should be pro
from incurting Indebtedness for sny purnoso
oeTond @ per cent Of tho property valuation.
Inc =. experience Of all the West
proved theso restrictions TO be Necessary, and |
mo to"na and cities Of Ainnesnta aro rapid]y
running INTO debt beyond their means, in
response to exactionB Of railroad cornDsn;cs
which, It is safe to sag, would not in msnv1n.
stances 5I he thought necessary. il the facility
1or obtaining these bonuses did not aY,.t +, /
rev yeats many Of the towns now 90 ea.erly |
rushing into debt il aid OF railroads. viii ba A.
easeIly rushing into reputation to avoid The |
theefssIy ta o. paying their bonds. This disas-
neeas prompt constitutional remedr ''''1'
Another abuse, rapidly growing into public
sai1eeance: e Is tue lee question. The maximum
salaE1es OF county officers need to bo fi1ed ~
they perform. ''@'~0~ "o4A
One Of the abuses Of the day is the manner
n n WMch tue constitutional prohibition Of
20 amendment Of old Territorial charters.
!, his Should be forbidden, and the charters
themselves not in operation abolished.
E1peraence has shown that Legislature
composed OF small number Of members is
more liablo to corruption than g larger Eody /
md the present Legislative checks On 1ecisia,
ave corruption Or corrupt combinations OF
ocal or private interests in the Legislative
re wholly insufficient These evils need
corrective.
Ihe following provisions Of the Illinois Con-
s.nnon ! n: would meet general public demand
" "haiiIoad corporations doing business in I'LL.
us 9nal 1ase an ofce In the State, where ali
81 slocx sa4ll he made and where books
q6lc tnspecH0n. ~fS'A1oA
The tn rolling stock and other movable property
!a4llnads ahal be considered pelEoual nroberfr |
~ subject to execution and sale,
tock Of franchise With any other corporation
" No railroad corporation shall Issue stocs or
onas Q except for money received and applied to
Az railroads are compelled to deliver grain IN | (
the same can be reached By any track wiz car
used for teas purpose, and to allow connections
be male with their tracks for this purpose.
Another important requirement ia q cousti-
1uobal provision mere explicitly prohibiting !
~ partition Of tho school MONEYS for the b
eneht Of denominational schools. and nro-
biting tie inculcation Of sectarian tenots in
le common schools =
Y, our statute books nro annually encumbcred Il
!th vast amount Of special legislation. C.
hich ought to DO regulated By general law,
MaFing q adFersed to some Of the subjects of Il
m ls legislation yesterday, we need not ad- sj
provision Ike that Of Illinois
this subject would relieve or II
aGlslatuEes Of a vast deal Of work which lies
tirely out Of theis Legitimate province.
'ere a5e great many minor reforms need
:, which We Deed not now refer to, But
ough has been said to show tho necessity Of
thorough renovation Of our State Constitu-
n And il tho necessity for new constitu- q
n exists, tho sooner We 90 to work about It e.
better, for the earliest action wLich it J.,
Md be possible to take would not euabIo M oS
hold Constitutional Convention before y
II. l.,