Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-02-13
is A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
NEcEsgARYl


Except the repeal Of the usury law
which originates in the Constitution, we
are not aware Of sound measure OF
raform or reirenchment proposed but
what can be accomplished through the
Legislature. The poll-tax, provided for
in the Constitution, is nullity, for each
successive Legislature sets it aside. The
burden is not felt, and Convention is
not necessary on that account. IL has
been asserted so often that Convention
is an imperative necessity that many
people join in the same iteration, who
could not offer any good reasons IN
support thereof 1t is within the power
Of the Legislature to adopt a revised
system Of assessment and taxation, TO
regulate the fees Of officers, to abolish
nearly all the county offices, if they see
proper, except sheriff, trustee, coroner,
and one or two others. 1t has been seen
that the poll.tax can be indefinitely
postponed; the courts can be abolished
or remodelled at will, and, in fact, the
Legislature can remedy nearly all the
evils complained of by the people-ex-
cept the usury law, and that is almost a
dead letter, although it we're better to be
erased entirely. The jury system in
civil cases can be abolished, the mer-
chants license tax repealed, and a good
school system put in operation, and the
State debt funded or otherwise disposed
Of all without State Convention.
Now, we are not as yet opposing State
Constitutional Convention, but desire to
elicit in a compact, connected shape
from its advocates their various argu-
ments and reasons. If they can show
that the necessity is such as to justify
the expense, and the risk that would be
run of getting only changes and not
beneficial improvements, then we will
come out in favor of Convention as
earnestly as anybody else. Butwe must
first see the general as well as local
public necessity, and feel a reasonable
assurance that it will be remedied in
new Constitution. 1t is not enough
merely TO assert that taxes are high,
times hard and that the Constitution is
an old fogy document, brought over from
North Carolina in 1896. No human Law
is or can be perfect; the Constitution as
it is might be improved, but It might be
made worse. The last Convention was
composed Of the very best men in the
State, including members Of the bar and
representatives of all the important ele-
menis and interests Of the common
wealth. The organic law Of the land
should be changed very seldom. an
fundamental English law Is old, and it
has rarely been improved The Consl-
tuition Of the United States remained
without change for sixty years previous
70 our late war, and il that period the
country enjoyed iis greatest prosperity.
i should Be remembered that or stsss
Constitution can II anen5e5 once ~
SIX years By a al d the Legislature.
ratified By the psDpls. On these grounds
" submii TIE question - thinking rss~
sDpinr men, End VII carefully consider
ths risEs Of Al who S6rocass CgrTso-
Ton and II eonvinssd fass ne bprSs1s
tofuplsins1 u ~ zbs masses are aftrs5-
ula1se 80 = defeelsge C9uE.tBtipu a1e
DeE9nd rsr0sty - ths hands y ~ Lex
isls.a.s, vi 59n Niih 5ssn Il sskilE
10 Laglsla1urs 20 make . esH.