The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1875-10-14
THE PROPOSED CONSTITUTION
AL AMENDMENTS.
They do not Encompass the Ends
Desired,

Desired,
The electors of Kansas will, next
month, vote for or against the adop-
ton of three proposed amendments to
the constitution of the State. The
amendments, as submitted, will be
found elsewhere in these columns, and
were intended by the Legislature TO
secure biennial sessions of that body.
Our duty as journalist renders il
necessary for us to say that we are sat
isfied and convinced, beyond any doubt,
that the propo sed amendments are in
sufficient, and that the adoption OF
them would not only leave the State
with a lane and imperfect constitu-
ton, but would entail trouble upon
the Judicial, Executive, Legislative
and Financial departments of the State.
OF these facts we were convinced from
the first, but so strong has our desire
been for biennial sessions of the Leg
islature, and for SO many years had we
advocated that kind Of change in our
fundamental law, that we have re-
Trained from saying anything against
the propositions submitted, hoping
that the leading legal minds of the
State might conclude that the amend
ments offered were sufficient to war;
rant an affirmative vote. But such has
not proved the case. Upon the contra
ry, the evidence submitted by the lead
ing legal lights who have given the
matter attention, has accumulated un-
til the champions of the propositions
have become silent.
To those of our readers who have
never given the matter any attention,
but who, like ourselves, believe that a
session once in two years would be
often enough, yet who do not desire TO
read long legal argument full of cita-
tons aud precedents, we viii make a
short, common-sensed statement of
the whole matter, which none will fail
to understand:
Our constitution provides for annu-
al sessions Of the Legislature, annual
election of Representatives, annual
appropriations for support of State
government and State institutions, an
nual levy of State taxes, ETC., etc.
These matters are provided for in .fre
different sections of that instrument,
all five of which sections must be
amended by vote of endorsement by
the people, before biennial sessions can
be held. But the constitutional max
ing provision for its own amendment,
says that not more than three amend
ments shall he submitted at any one
election.
That's the whole case in ten lines.
Four or five joint committees on the
judiciary-two or three of which CON-
mittces were composed of some of the
best legal minds in the State-have had
the above propositions under advise
ment at several sessions of the Legis-
laturc and, until last winter, these
committees have uniformly reported
that 1t was impossible 10 amend the
constitution onstitutionally or, in
other words, that no three propositions
could be legally drafted that would
cover the fire amendments necessary
to biennial sessions.
Being satisfied of the correctness Of
the reports and judgments referred TO,
the last two years that we were on the
floor of the Senate we advocated the
calling of a constitutional convention
as the best, only proper, and most ex-
pedient way of getting a fundamental
law for our State that would prove up
with the times, and up with the spirit
of the age. 1t is not only biennial ses-
sions that should be provided for in
the new instrument, but the correction
of twenty other blunders, prominent
among which is our inability to wisely
and surely control corporations.
We shall then vote against the pro
posed amendments to the constitution
but for new constitution whenever
we have chance.
We animated that the adoption OF
the three proposed amendments would
not only partially destroy the constitu.
ton itself, but lead us, as State, into
many inextricable difficulties. With.
out discussing the grounds of this as.
sertion either, we will only say that in
the event of the adoption of the prop
ositions, it is claimed by several jurists
that the amendments would become
effective, as far as it possible for lame
thing to be effective, imme diately upon
the closing of the polls on the End OF
November, which would cut us out of
a session of the Legislature this win
ter; and, that then, unless the Gov
ernor convened a called session, the
the revenues would remain unlevied
and uncollected, our State institutions
would be compelled to close, and the
State government itself would have
to be run on credit. Others claim that
the members elected this winter would
hold over two years and would have
the choosing of the next United States
Senator. Still others hold that the
amendments being illegal. any legisla-
ton had under them would be void.
Upon all these speculations and judg-
ments we make no comments. Being
satisfied, outside of these conclusions,
that any action that tends to cloud
with uncertainty, the scope and intent
of the constitution of the State will
prove far more disastrous to our well
being than the suffrance of an acknowl-
edged grievance, we shall vote against
the proposed amendments, as will, we
believe, a large majority of the think
ing men of the State.
The internal revenue for September
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