New-York tribune., 1874-10-24
THE AMENDMENTS NOT SAFE.

THE AMENDMENTS NOT SAFE.
We warn the friends of the proposed amend
ments to the State Constitution that their adOp-
ton by the people is not to be cOnsummated
without active work. The enemies of those
amendments the canal contractors, the lobby
ists the venal men who aspire to make mer-
chandise of their votes at Albany, and tho
enemies of reform because it is reform, are
not few in number, not lazy, and not unac-
ouainted with the tricks of politics. Indeed,
most of the machinery of our modern politics
ls of their invention, and by 1t they have
made the honest masses of voters in both po-
litical parties little better than ciphers. Have
the Council of Political Reform, the Chamber
of Commerce, the GrOcers Board of Trade,
and such organizations made arrangements to
have ballots in favor of the amendments ready
for voters in every voting district OF the
Statef If not let them set about the work.
Let them be assured that ballots against the
amendments, or at least against those which
it is desired to defeat, will not be wanting.
Many voter will be deceived into voting
defective ticket. The complete ballot should
contain tpelue separate propositions, but what
ia easier than to print ballots emitting the
provisions relating to the Legislature or
canalss Voters must exercise great care or
tbey will be deceived in this way.
In order that our readers may know what
the amendments contain, we republish them
this morning The little opposition which is
openly made to them is their strongest recon-
mendatiOn, yet the arguments In their favor
have by no means been exhausted We judge
that in this vicinity the Office-hoders and
politicians will work hard against the amend
ments to Article ILL.,, relating to the Legisla-
ture and its organization. One OF the pro-
visions in that article is that no member OF
the Legislature shall receive any civil appoint
ment within this State during the time for
which he was elected, and another, that no
person shall be eligible to the Legislature who
within one hundred days of the election has
been member of Congress, a military or
civil officer of the United States, or an officer
under any city government. The amend
ments to Article III. also contain the pro-
visions doing away with special legislation.
Be sure the words " For the proposed amend
"ment to article three, part first, Legislature
"'and it's organization, sections to 8. inclu-
slven are on your ticket and also the same
for sections II to 25, inclusive.
Another important provision is the amend
ment to Article VII. allowing the Legislature
to dispose of the Crooked Lake, Black River,
Genesee Valley, and ChenangO Canals by
omitting them from the list of canals which
that body is prohibited from selling or leasing.
A large share of the two or three million dol
lars annually raised by taxation for canal pur-
poses goes into these canals and toward the
payment of damages caused by their breaks
ard OverflOws. To keep them in good order
makes necessary an annual waste of one or
two millions for work on them. TO keep
them in bad order the risk is incurred of pay
ments equally large for damages. Hundreds
of people derive a respectable income out of
being damaged by the canal and acting as
attorneys for individuals claiming to be thus
damaged. They live by the overflow of the
canals as the Egyptians do by that of the
Nile. Be sure the words, "For the proposed
amendments to Article VII, finance and
"'canals,'" are on your ticket.
A restriction which will commend itself to
most of the taxpayers throughout the State
is this:
SECTION 11.NO county, city, town or village shall
hereafter give any property or loan its money
or credit to or IN aid Of any individual association
corporation, become directly or Indirectly the
of stock bonds OF any association or corporation
nor shall any such county, city, town. or village be al
lowed to incur any Indebtedness exception county CITY,
townor village purposes. This section shall not prevent
such county, city, town village from making such
provision for the and support Of its poor may be
authorized by law.
Be sure the words For the proposed amend
"ments to Article WILL, part one, being Sec
"tions four and eleven relating to corpora
tions, local liabilities and appropriations"
are on your ticket.
Finally, be sure you have ticket and that
your neighbOr has one, even though you have
to write it out. Do not put off this duty until
4lo da,. OF nloction hut set about il at