The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-05-23

The Conssasussenal ASssnamsnss.
The Lansing. Republican wisely taksa
time BY the forslock, and calls public
attention to the fact that the people OF
Michigan will in this exciting year be
called upon to vote on three pending
amendments to our rigid and rsprsssivs
State constitution. These propositions
are ~ follows:
I. Joint resolution No. 2i Of 1875
wide page 3O5, Laws Of 1879, provides
for striking out of our organic law the
following section in Article /:
Sexton a.. The legislature shall not pass
any act authorizing the grant OF license for
the sale OF ardent spirits or other intoxica-
ting liquors.
The ballots for striking out must
read, Amendment relative TO license
for the sale OF ardent spirits or other
intoxicating liquors-Yes," and those
against striking out must be the same
ia form with "No" substituted for
"Yes." The probabilities all point to
the carrying out of this proposition
without an especial assistance. The
State License League will organize .
strong movement in its favor, and the
Prohibitionists regard the section AZ OF
no particular value to them since the
decision OF the Supreme Court sustain
ing the present Tax Law, and will not
make any organized opposition. In
our judgment the matter OF dealing
with the evils of the liquor traffic Is
peculiarly one OF those that should be
left to legislative discretion, and we
shall not regret the disappearance OF
this clause from the constitution for
this reason.
2. Joint resolution No. % wide p.
800 ibid provides for amending Arti.
Gle TX so as to increase the salary OF
the judges of the circuit courts from
81 500 to $4,000. This ought TO receive
a unanimous vote as all the arguments
OF expediency and justice are in its Ia
vor, but we are not sanguine by any
means of its success. Four years ago
the people voted on this identical pro-
position and rejected it by 5S. 9O7 noes
81, ,326 yeas. With some organized
work in its favor this year it might be
carried, but the issues OF tho Presiden.
tial canvass will probably prevent suoh
presentation OF the merits OF this
proposition before the people rs viii
be necessary to secure its adoption
The affirmative ballots in this case
must read, Amendment relative to the
salaries Of Circuit Judges-Yes, and
... ..e.,.iva ballots :, ,"66mSndps3trsla- 6nsnd
tive to the salaries OF Circuit judges
No."
3. Joint resolution No. 80 OF 1875
wide p. $40 ibid provides for amend
ing section l Of Article XX so that it
shall read as follows:
See /. ANY amendment or amendments 10
this constitution may be proposed In the SEN
| ate or House Of Representatives IL the same
shall be agreed to by two-thlrds Of the mem
! bers elect 10 each House, such amendment or
amendments shall be entered on the journals
respectively with the yeas and nays taken
thereon, aud the same shall be submitted 10
the electors at the spring or autumn election
thereafter, rs the legislature may direct. and
IL q majority Of electors qualified 10 vote Tor
members of the legislature voting thereon
shall ratify and approve such amendment or
amendments, the same shall become part OF
the constitution,
This, it will be seen, is simply pro-
position TO so change the present sys-
tenn that the voting may be done on
constitutional amendments at the April
election on the year OF their adoption
by the Legislature, instead Of only at
tho general election in the November
OF the year following. II is thought
that a non-partisan vote on amend
ments can be obtained better in the
spring than in the fall, when politics
usually run high. and also that an Of
ten annoying aud wholly unnecessary
delay Of many months may by this
means be avoided. We presume that
there will be no popular objection to
the change. The form of the affirma-
tive and negative ballots in this case
must he, Amendment as TO the time
OF submitting to the people amend
ments to the Constitution-Yes" or
"No," as the case may be.
The various county clerks are by law
required to print and circulate, at least
thirty days before the election, an am
pie supply OF ballots for each voting
place. Detroit Tribune.