The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1870-07-14
Taetklp Gimes
THURsDAXfYRo.


The new Constitution adopted in Illinois
on the md inst, is probably the best instTu-
ment ever framed the organic Law Of one
of our States. The experience Of Massachu-
sets, in 1854, and Of New York, in 1866,
had led 20 the belief TINT sny entirely new
Constitution which could be framed now
would be rejected by the people. The ILL.,
nois Convention acted with rare wisdom and
framed a Constitution which l. acceptable to
both political parties and to the great mass
of the people. Our own Ses.e needs new
CONSTITUTION as much as Illinois did. The
new Census will give us the needed facts on
which to ba.e our action, and we trust that
thanext Legislature will take measures to Sc
cure Constitutional Convention. The
great dangers which threaten all our States
now arise from legislation in the in
tercst of monopolie- and priv
legged corporations, in special acts,
sand in the tendency to burden the State,
Counties, Cities and towns with debt. Kansas
now has the experience of Illinois to guide
her in these matters and it is idle to longer
delay the entire revision Of our fundamental
law The expense Of holding Convention
is very slight when compared with the money
now foolishly voted away and needlessly
sauandered because there is no restraining
power Cur Constitution was poor affair
in the beginning, and every year increases
its inadeguacv. II was not adopted because
it WAS good Instrument, but for the reason
that We had got ourselves into a political
slu,ldIe over three Constitutions, all Of which
had been rejected, and because the people
were anxious above all things to be admitted
into the Union Many new issues have arisen
since 1859; our population has quadrupled,
and new people want new and wiser
Constitution.
We copy below summary Of the Illinois
Constitution as given in the Chicago Tribune.
Each Of the members Of the General As
semihv thereafter elected shall swear THAT l
Rave not, knowingly or intentionally, paid or
contributed ANYTHING, or made any promises
in the nature cf bribe, to directly or indi-
rectly influence any vote 1t the election at
which was chosen to fill the said Office, and
have not accepted, NOT will l accept or
receive, directly or indirectly, money or
. othcs valuable thing, from any corporation,
company, or person, for any vote or inffl-
ence l may give or withhold on any bill,
resolution, or appropriation, or Tor any
other official act" The General Assembly
is Is be composed of 81 Senators and l53
Representatives.
Special legislation is prohibited.
hall mot bsat TAX mr.
damaged for public uses, without just COM
teneation therefor, to be ascertained by a
jury.
The State shall not pay or assume the
debt OF, or loan its credit to, any public or |
other corporation or individual.
No street railway shall be constructed in
any city, town or village, without the COM
sent of the corporate or other authority hav- |
ing control of the street
No law shall be passed making an irrevo-
cable grant of special privileges.
All bills and amendments thereto must |
be printed before they are passed.
No act of the General Assembly shall take /
effect until the first of July following its pas
sage, unless, by the vote Of two-thirds of its |
members, il shall he put in operation imme- /
diately.
The authority of the Legislature to ada to |
the State debt unless for war purposes) is |
limited TO the sum of $250, 600.
No officer shall have his term of Office ex-
tended by law after his election.
The paw Of the members of the Legislature /
to I've fixed by law, after tire first session, and
no Legislature can change such comlensa-
ton except for future Legislatures. All
allowances for stationery, newspapers and
other yerglIisites shall I've limited to so for
each member.
There is to he no restriction upon the L
duration al the sessions of the General As
semhly.
All the State officers are hereafter to re-
ceiye salaries, to be fixed by law, and not to
be increased during their term Of Office; and
all fees, costs and perquisites, shall be paid
into the State Treasury. This does not
apply, however, 10 the present terms Of
Office of existing State officers.
The expenditure for the new State House
is limited to 81, 500, 900, including the
amount already expended.
\ two-thirds vote is required TO overrule |
the veto of the Governor.
The Supreme Court Is to consist Of seven
Judges instead Of three, As at present; the |
four additional Judges having been elected |
on Saturday
All taxes levied for State purposes shall be /
paid into the State Treasury, and applied 1
only to State purposes. County authorities /
shall never levy tax exceeding IS cents on
the 500 of property, except to pay existing /
indebtedness, unless by a vote of the people: |
No CITY, county, township, school district,
or other municipal corporation shall be
allowed to incur Indebtedness for any pur-
pose to an amount, including existing debts,
exceeding 5 per cent. on the value Of the tax
oh t1no ~,
tanned by the previous assessment for State
and county taxes.
All fees established by special Laws shall
cease at the adoption of the constitution; as
the fees of the officers in this county are
largely authorized nv special law, their COL
lection after the Sth Of August will he illegal.
No corporation shall i've created Wv special
law, or its charter extended, changed Of
amended. All such organizations shall here /
after he created by general laws.
The General Assembly shall provide bv /
law that in all elections for Directors or nrin-
ayers Of incorporated companies, every stock
holder may vote in person or by proxy for
the number of shares he holds for as MANY
persons as there are Directors to he elected,
and may concentrate the whole number on I
any one candidate or distribute them as he /
NAV think fit.
Railroad corporations doing business in
Illinois shall have an Office in this State,
where ali transfers Of stock shall be made, and /
where hooks showing their general affairs |
shall he kept for public inspection.
The rolling stock and other movable
property of railroads shall he. considered
personal property, and subject TO execution |
and sale.
No railroad corporation shall consolidate /
its stock or franchises with any other corpo-
ration owning parallel or competing line. |
Nc railroad corporation shall Issue stock |
or bonds, except for money received and |
applied TO its corporate purposes.
All railroads arc compelled to deliver |
grain in bulk, at any elevator to which it |
may I've consigned, if the same can he |
reached by any track which can he used for |
that purpose, and to allow connections TO be |
made with their tracks for this purpose.
The existing contract with the Illinois |
Central Railload Company, for the payment |
Of per cent Of its gross receipts into the !
treasury, shall not be changed.
The State shall make no appropriation for |
railroads or canals, but may appropriate the
surplus earnings of any canal for Its enlarge
ment or extension.
Nc county, city, town, township, or other
municipality shall ever become subscriber to
the capital stock of any railroad or private |
corporation, or make donation 10, or loan