The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-07-09
The New Constitution.

Hon. j. NJ. Estep, of Cadiz, a gen
tleman of the highest ability and OF
sterling integrity, writes an earnest
appeal in favor of the new Constitu-
ton. 1t is published in the Cadiz
Sentinel, from which we extract as
follows:
The reasons given for the changes
made. seem to me to be, in the main,
good and while l do not approve
everything they have done, yet, TAX
ing it as a whole, cannot hesitate to
say that l regard If as great improve
ment on the present one. never ex-
pect to see a constitution formed by a
hundred minds which shall please me
in every particular, l prefer to accept
and enjoy a substantial good thing,
rather than to seek after things ideal
and unattainable the impracticable
good of the dreamer, that never is,
but always is to be.
The main body of the new Consti-
tuition is the same as the old; there
fore we need only look to the changes
made. 1 will briefly mention a few,
which l think will be worth more to
tlAO RCOJlO AAA11AA H44A AAS #OOhSAASAeAOA
cost-Changes intended to take away
The corrupt motive and interest, and
thus diminish, if not do away with
corrupt legislation.
1. No person Interested in claim
or contract which may come before
the legislature shall hold a seat in the
General Assembly.
2. No officer, state or county, shall
1 oa a ho ~, tho chn Of opal
Road Pass"
3. Corporations shall not cheat the
people, as they haye done heretofore,
by the trick of E'Watering" their stock.
f. Railroad Companied are prevent
ed from discriminating against the
ssl0cdE trade" and their officers are
prevented from being. interested in
Star Lines" and sfUnion Lines" and
thus growing rich in a few years by
| taking the cream from the stockhold-
ers who built and paid for the road,
but who never get a dividend.
5. Members of the legislature are
not now TO be paid by the dag. They
will do their work sooner aud come
home.
6. The provisional veto will be of
much use in preventing hasty and eX-
travagant legislation.
/ z. Every item of the appropriation
Bill is to stand on its own merits and
! the Bill cannot now, as heretofore, be
made %pack horse" TO carry through
in the last days of the session, every
species of extravagance and rascality.
i This one feature alone believe will
save the people thousands of dollars
each session.
g. The change in the Judicial sys-
tenn is, in my opinion, the most need
full and beneficial of any. 1t may not
be generally known that our higher
/ Courts are, and have been for many
years, entirely blocked up with busi-
ness. 1t ordinarily takes from six to
seven years to reach a decision in the
Supreme Court. This is no fault of
| the Judges. l believe that no five
men in the State of Ohio work harder
| than our Supreme Court Judges. 1t
avails but little to declare that we
have the inalienable right to life, lib
erty and property, without providing
an efficient Judicial system to protect
and enforce our rights. x
Our excellent Probate system remains
as it is, Our other Courts will be in
dependent and separate, with suffi-
| ClCll4 vi " W int
work. We are not to have the same
Judges trying the same cases over and
i over again. Considering
the limitations and restrictions upon
local extravaganza and the other pro-
visions before mentioned, / believe
the cost of administering the govern
ment under the new Constitution will
be less than under the present one 4
The question of Biennial elections is
new and may not give satisfaction. If
it does, however, 1t will save the pee-
pie at least $4,000 each second year.
do not like the Judicial appor-
tionment, but that is merely tempora-
ry, and may be changed by the legis-
ture.
The cumulative system of voting
for. representatives, l think should
have had general application through
out the State, and not been confined to
a few of the most popnlous counties.
This could have been done by diYid-
ing the territory into larger districts.
These. are the only doubtful or OBJ
jectionabIe features that at present
think of, and, believing that the good
features greatly oyer-balance these, 1
therefore. think the Constitution
| should be adopted. J. Nd. EsTEP.
I r. + j. HH