The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1875-10-21
rHE OoNsIITUrIoNAL. As6ENparEn1s


The necessity FOR the holding Of (
Convention, or for the appointment
Of . Commission, to prepare 9 new
Constitution of the State, Is shown IN
the frequency with which amend.
ments to the present Constitution ara
presented to the people for their adoP
ton or rejection. There is scarcely q
general election at which at least one
such amendments not to be voted
upon, and the number usually rises
to three or four. Important a. these
amendments frequently are, they Ser 3.
but little discussed. or thought Of.
Such voters as vote upon them at u,
usually take whatever expression :Jyes
Or no-may happen to g attached
to The ballot furnished BY their party
leaders. The filling, Of the most, inaig-
ni6cant local office excites more inter
est and discussion than does the adop-
ton or rejection ofthree out Of every
four Of the almost innumerable
amendments to the Constitution pre-.
pared from time to time by the Leg
islature. This is not as it should be,
and the remedy lies in making the
curing of the defects Of the Con
stitution the special business Of certain
capable men elected OF, still better,
appointed for the work Of drafting :
new Constitution to be voted upon -
. whole. <..,..,,. ,
Of the four amendments to be adopt
ed or rejected At the coming election,
one is to Section 4, Article 6, and il
as follows: H., \. rEs:..s
The State shall be divided by the Legis-
lature into judicial districts, which shall be
composed Of contiguous territory, be bound;
ed by county lines, and contain >; popula,
ton Is nearly equal as may be practicable,
In each Judicial district one or more judges
a. the Legislature may prescribe, ahan b
elected by tho electors thereof whose term
ofof6ce shall be seven years, and each q
said judges shal severally have, and exer:
cise the powers of the court under such
limitations - may be prescribed bylaw. y
=. This amendment looks toward not
only s,further increase Of the humble,
of districts but q multiplication Of
the number Of judges in each district
The necessity for any such increase d
not apparent. Section 4 of Article 6
of the Constitution ~ it now stands
provides that the State shall be di.
vided into six judicial districts, but
by the provisions Of Section IL the
number Of districts has BEEN doubled
OF these twelve districts there are at
least three the judges in which have
next to nothing to do: The result io1
| this amendment would be more dis;
tricts and more sinecurejudgeships.
A second amendment adds to- Sec.
| ton 2 Of Article 8 hefollowing: l.
Suitable laws shall be enacted by The
| Legislature for the safe Investment of thu
| principals of all funds which have hereto
| fore arisen or which may hereafter aris>
| from the sale or other disposition, of such
| Lands, or the income from such lands &C
cruing in any way before the sale or dis
position thereof, in interest bearing bonds
Of the United States or of the State Of Min
| nesota, issued after the year 1850, or o
such other State as the Leeislature may by
law from time to time direct. ...
1.-THE intention Of this is to prevent
the investment Of the school fund II
local securities, such as individual
mortgages, or corporation or school
district bonds, it is judicious and
should be adopted. - - -" .-. -
A third amendment makes Section
8 Of Article; 10 read as follows: e.
Each stockholder in any corporation lex
cepting those organized for the purpose .
carrying on any kind of manufacturing o.
mechanical business, shall be liable only
for all unpaid installments bn stock owned
by him or transferred for the purpose o
defrauding creditors. -, -.
The purpose of this amendment i.
to do away with a discrimination
which now exists against the stock
holders in new railroad enterprises
1t merely places them on the SAM
footing with the stockholders in com
panies organized under the old Ter
ritorial charters, and it would have {
favorable effect in encouraging mel
of capital to take hold Of new rail
road enterprises in this State. 1t
adoption, therefore, Is desirable.
The remaining amendment adds t,
| Article 7 q section, 8, reading as fol
lows: ~: =.
The Legislature may, Notwithstanding
anything in this article, provide by law
that any woman At the age of twenty-on
years and upward, may vote at an electio,
held for the purpose Of choosing any Office
of schools, OF upon any measure relating t
schools, and may also provide that an,
such woman shall be eligible to hold an
Office pertaining solely tothe nanagemen
of schools. 49,. :.a.N Z.
We fail to see wherein any good j
to result from the adoption of thi
amendment. Very few women car
to vote at school elections, and stil
fewer care to'hom any Office pertain
ing to the management Of schools Q
any Office of apublicnatuIe. Some Il
cal squabble might have the effect, II
district here and there, to bring on
the women voters ut an election, bu
in nine5cases out Of ten the majoriit
of the increased vote would Be on. Ii
side Of ignorance and superstition
and The intelligent minority : would 8
tn tho no11s i1nder tho nrnaal1ra q