The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-08-12
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM,
The New Constitution .Ol
Illinois.
Reforms Suggested for Con-
slderatiOn I'm Ohio.
From the Cincinnati Commercial.

From the Cincinnati Commercially
The impending consideration of the
expediency Of framing a new Constitu,
tion for Ohio suggests a comparison o.
the newly adopted Constitution OF Hi
nois with our own. That State made a
thorough revision of its fundamental
law iu 1870, through Convention COM
posed Of men reckoned among the ablest
in the State. 1t introduced for the first
time into the polity OF that populous
and important commonwealth, several
grave innovations and reforms. Having
been ratified by the people (who had
the more important amendments sub
mitted to them separately, by yea and
nay vote, so that the Constitution had
not to be swallowed whole, or else de-
feated, these reforms are now upon trial
in the State Government. Let us briefly
characterize some OF them.
|. For the first time in the history
OF any State of the Union, the principle
of minority representation has been re-
cognized, in the form Of what is known
as cumulative voting. The Constitu-
ton of Illinois provides that three rep
presentatives shall be chosen in each
Senatorial District. Any citizen may
cast as many votes for one candidate as
there arc representatives to be chosen,
and the candidates having the highest
number of votes are to be declared
elected. This. gives the people an op.
portunity to get rid of party evil OF
caucus dictation and nomination; and
ought to have a wholesome effect upon
the purity Of elections.
2. 1t is provided that no bill shall
become law without the concurrence
of a majority Of the members elected to
each House This puts wholesome
check upon the bad system prevalent
in Congress and in nearly all our Leg
islatures, of passing laws "by unanimous
consent" without calling the yeas and
nays, in thin House, frequently con-
tanning a mere handful OF the members
elect.
Another check upon hasty legislation
is secured by a constitutional require
ment that all bills shall be printed be-
fore their final passage.
Still another check upon ill-consid-
cred legislation is furnished in the exec
utive veto-the Governor having the
power to arrest any measure which IN
his judgment would be detrimental to
the public interest, until passed by a
majority of two-thirds of both Houses
of the Legislature (not, as in some
States, two-thirds of the members pres,
ent). That all these provisions would
be wisely added to our own State Con-
stitution, we entertain no doubt.
3. The State Treasury is guarded by
several stringent restrictions, both upon
the legislative and executive power. All
contracting of debts in the name Of the
State, over the gross amount Of $780,,
600, is prohibited in the Constitution,
unless the question be previously sub
mitted 10 the people. The only excep-
ton made is for war purposes. The
similar restrictions in the Constitution
of Ohio is to $750,0O0, or three times
the amount above specified.
No appropriation in increase Of the
amount regularly authorized by previ-
GUS law to be expended in any branch
of the public service, can be lawfully
passed without the concurrence OF two.
thirds OF both branches OF the Legisla-
ture. This cuts up BY the roots large
share of those mischievous appropria.
tions known as deficiency bills"
The pay Of members of the General
Assembly is constitutionally limited to
five dollars per day while in session,
with ten cents per mile for actual travel,
and fifty dollars per annum as STATIC
nary and postage allowance. Our own
Constitution contains no provision on
this subject.
4. The Illinois Convention appears
to have been governed by a strong
jealousy af all corporate powers and
mouopolies, which, considering the
rather unhappy experience OF that
Commonwealth with the Illinois Cen
trail and other railways, and the enor,
mously powerful grain elevator rings.
can not be wondered at The Consti
tuition provides that no law making
any irrevocable grant Of special priv
ileges or immunities shall be passed;
that the State shall never loan its
credit to any public or other corpora
ton; that no law whatever creating
banking corporations shall ever be
passed without previous submission to
the people; that every railway com
pany organized or doing business in the
State shall keep public register OF its
stock, always open to inspection; that
majority of the directors Of every rail
way shall be citizens and residents Of
the State; that all stock dividends
shall be null and void, and that all
railways are declared public highways
the Legislature having authority te
prescribe BY law the maximum charges
for freight and fares.
Besides these stringent provisions
(tbe first two OF which are in substance
embodied in the present Constitution o.
Ohio there is the following compre
bensive schedule Of prohibitions laid
upon the legislative authority OF tn
State:
"The General Assembly shall no
pass local or special laws in any OF th'
following enumerated cases; that is Il
say: For
"Granting divorces;
Changing the names OF persons o
places;
Laying out, opening, altering ant
working roads OF highways;
"Vacating roads. town plats, streets
alleys and public grounds; locating o
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