The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-02-11
.EMPoRIA NEWS.
Friday, February II, 1870.
SENATOR MURDOCH on CONSTITU.
TIONAL AMENDMENT.


~. i-.
On February End, in committee of
the whole, during the discussion of the
joint resolutions relative to a constitu-
tional convention, and certain constifu-
tionnl amendments looking to the bet
tering of the State finances, Mr.. MUIR
dock said
Mr.. Gu AIRMAN: Although the consti-
tuition provides for the annual conyen-
ing of this honorable body opine that
its authors little dreamed lnat so many
wise Solons would annually wend their
way to this capital with their heads full
of crotchets over the supposed weak
ness of the fundamental law of our
new State, their pockets full of resolu-
tons touching its total unfitness as a
basis upon which TO rest our statutes.
The buneombe that has annually been
hurled at its provisions would have ut
terly demolished a movement of less
strength-the amendments tackled on,
utterly enfeebled less meritorious in
strnment.
TO attempt 10 go over the whole
ground upon which the Senator from
Bourbon and the Senator from Wyan-
dotte so pIiantly spread themselves,
would prove futile upon my part, but
TO suceinctly set forth few reasons in
opposition Will be attempted:
The only solution, Mr.. Chairman, to
all our financial difficulties, and the on
ly sensible answer to be made to all the
fanciful schemes worked up by the Sem
ator from Wyandotte, is, in my opin-
ion, 'pay as yon CO." or in other words,
let the State levy be equal to the State
expenditures. If the people could be
heard with reference TO the proposition
80 Al a. a..
two million more of Indebtedness, their
universal answer would be "no." Can
there be one honorable Senator upon
this floor so obtuse as not to see il !?
The people of Kansas are daily signify
ing their willingness to be taxed, and
heavily, too, but their protest is against
another dollar for display and style.
The Senator from Wyandotte gives as
aIfother reason for amendment to the
constitution that the revenue should be
raised in advance. Our fundamental
law already permits that But why in
advance! Has this State not expe-
rienced enough trouble over the the lit
tie money that has happened to lie idle
in our vaults? Are we to rid ourselves
of debt by increasing it, or offer n pre-
MUM on official speculation and pecU-
ydtion! Away with such nonsense.
Three points / gathered, Mr.. Chair
man, from the two hours speech of the
Senator from Bourbon, made in favor
of constitutional convention, viz "The
regulating of the State judiciary and
the increase of salaries relating to it /;
the want of greater State debt; a re-
duction in the homestead provisions"
The one is good enough as it now
stands; the other would be voted down I;
TO the last one the people would respond
in the negative. Another touched upon,
though but lightly, may have been the
bag that contained the cat, "apportion-
ment." The cities of Kansas are lily
satisfied with the constitution wherein
i'm guaranteeing TO each county a repre-
sentative, il efiectually throws the bal
ancc of political power into the rural
districts. There is where it should be,
the judgment of city capitalists, monop-
olists and schemcrs to the contrary not
withstanding. E.- t
am, Mr.. Chairman, in favor of bien-
NAL sessions of the legislature, but for
the present am content to wait until our
resources become more fully developed,
until our character as a State becomes
fully settled. If our State institutions
and State treasury need smelling COM
mittees every winter, what would be-
come of them in two years? Sir, eXpe-
rience has taught US that annual watch
ln8S are DelLcT tnau duHual sLedlDgS.
Biennial sessions but necessitates the
doubling of official careers, and four
years Is too long n time for a bad man
to hold the sceptre of power in young
State like Kansas. i have said nothing
of the expense of submitting the ques-
ton TO the people, of the the expense OF
the convention If the ballots proved ia
vorable or the great chances for the de-
feat ofits ratification. i will grant that
il will be but n few years until the peo-
pie will demand new constitution
our growth and development will war
rant the attempt, but should we either
fail in carrying the proposition, or in
its ratification when carried, the whole
measure would be postponed for years,
mayhap TO the great detriment of the
State. Can we afford the expense and
risk at present in view of these facts
For few years yet, sir, let us stand by
the old constitution under which we
have so happily prospered, rather than
fly to evils that we know not of.