Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-11-26
GOV. BIGLER'S COMMENTS
ON THE
NEW CONSTITUTION.

0 fTfSS. 1Ourstruly, y. w roHNEf'
Hon. WILLIAM BIoLrR.
My Dear Sir: In reply to your not
, just received, beg to say that woul'
have read the paper herewith enclosed
at your request, which i respond 4
with great pleasure, if had not beer
prevented from doing so by the nd
vice Of my physicians. l am quite re
covered, but it is necessary that
should avoid all undue excitement.
may add that what / now send to yor
was written IN tho earnest desire tC
avoid all appeals to party feeling, ant
to present the new constitution to the
whole body of our people in q calm
and dispassonate spirit.
Yours truly, WILLIAM BIoLER.
Mr.. J. w. FoRNEY,
l desire, in few words, to com
mend the finished work Of tho conven.
tion to the favor of the people. Be
coming a member of the body after
the principal features of its work had
received their present form, and hav.
ing had but limited part in what re-
mained, / can speak the more freely
Of its merits rs whole and of the wis.
dom displayed in its several provi-
sions.
Whilst it is true that there are some
things in the instrument which should
prefer to have out, and some were re.
jected which would prefer to have
in, still, as a whole, and MS against the
present constitution, it has my un-
qualified sanction, and shall promise
its ratification 80 far as my humble
influence may go.
In the main its provisions cmbody
the teachings of experience so shaped
as 10 meet the needs of government,
their purpose being 10 put away and
forever avoid the evils developed under
existing forms, and as far as practica-
BILE to erect safeguards for the rights Of
the people and promote the cause of
justice and truth in matters of gov.
ernment; aiming also to advance pro-
per enterprise in business and national
progress, and at the same time TO pro-
tect the unwary masses of the people
against the schemes Of the damagogue
and swindler. Securing to tho press
liberty, whilst leaving it but little
room to become licentious; providing
the abundant fund for the education
of the masses, it has adopted the best
means to perpttuate the government;
leaving to the people ample facilities
for the enactment of useful laws, it at
the samc time intcrposes almost insur.
mountable obstacles to the creation of
statutes, by corrupt means, for unjust
and selfish ends.
In short, deficiencies in the several
departments Of our State government,
as developed in tho past, are met in
the proposed constitution by effective
remedies, with the least possible en-
croachment upon the rights or customs
of the people
In the construction of the General
Assembly as a body, as also in the
term of service of its members, and in
the restrictions upon its actions, the
amendments are radical and to my
mind valuable above all else. Somuch
am l impressed with the value of this
part of the work, that ] do not hcsi.
tate to say that had the convention
accomplished nothing else, this alone
would entitle it to the gratitude Of the
American people.
Instead of three years, Senators are
10 bo elected for four, and members of
the house for two instead of one.
Instead of thirty-three Senators we
are to have fifty, and in tho room of
one hundred members of the house we
are to have two hundred and ten and
instead OF annual sessions there is to
be, after the year 1878, one in two
years.
Besides, the forms of legislation nrc
to be essentially changed Instead of
majority of a quorum, the proposed |
Constitution will require tho votes of
q majority of each house TO enact a
law, and that each bill shall 90 through |
its several readings on different days,
tho effect being that instead Of nine
Senators and twenty-six members OF
the house having the right to originate
a bill and pass it through all its forms
in single day, IL will require the as
sent Of twcnty-six senators and one
and six members of the house
and at least four days time, 10 pass
any law, special or general.
And, instead of it being matter of
uncertainty whether bills had been
signed by the speakers before their
presentation TO the governor, each
speaker will be required to announce
the signing in the presence of the men,
bers.
The increase OF members of the
general assembly as compared with
the number fixed in the present con-
stitution, in 1898, is justified by the
increase of population, for it is seen
that unless the increase of reprcsen.
tation bears n proper relation to the
increase of population, representation
would become too remote from the
people. And as to tho increased OK
they arc mere than made
up by the policy Of biannual instead
OF tho annual sessions
In addition to this cautious process
in enacting laws, there is wide range
of legislation, special in its character,
and local in its operation, distinctly
forbidden, all that is necdful in that
way being furnished under general
laws and general forms.
The items interdictcd are as follows,
to wit; Laws authorizing the crca-
tion, extension, or mparing of liens
tho affairs of counties, tiles,
townships, wards, boroughs or school
locating or changing county
seats erecting new counties or chang
ing county lines granting divorces
fixing tho ratio Of interest exempt.
Ing property from taxation granting
TO any corporation, association or in.
iividua any special or exclusive priv
leges or immunity; creating corpo-
patione or yenewing or extendino tho