The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-04-24
The le,,rncrat.
AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION

AMENDING THE CONSIlEUIlON'
The General Assembly submits to the
people several amendments to the Con-
stitution of Ohio, TO be voted upon at
the election next fall
One provides for reorganization Of
our judicial system, reform very much
needed. TIE proposed amendment is
printed in full in another column Of this
paper. lIs most importont feature is
that it provides for the election Of judges
of district courts, and that court of this
grade shall be held in each county Of the
State at least once each year. The Leg
islature shall also have power to increase
the number of judges to three in any
district Oar judicial system no doubt
has been defective in this particular, and
several attempts to remedy it have not
been successful, on account of lack of in
terest at the election. Usually, hereto
fore, constitutional amendments have
received a majority of the votes cast
upon that particular subject, but as a ma
i1rity of all the votes at the election is
required, the amendments have failed,
as little attention was paid to the mat
ter.
Another proposition contemplates the
amendment of section 2 of article 2, Sec
ton / of article and section of arti-
Gle 10, of the present Constitution. In
order that our readers may note the
proposed change, we print the old sec
tions and also the new sections, submit
ted by the Legislature.
Section 2 of article II at present reads
as follows:
"Senators and Representatives shall be
elected bieunially by the electors in the
respective counties or districts, on the
second Tuesday of October; their term
shall commence on the first day Of Jan.
uary next thereafter, and shall continue
two years"
The proposed new section is as fol-
lows:
Senators and Representatives shall
be elected biennislly by the electors in
the respective counties or districts, at a
time prescribed by law; their terms of
office shall commence on the Tuesday
next after the first Monday of January
thereafter, and continue two years"
There are but two changes in the
above from The old section. The words
"secoud Tuesday of October" are strick-
en- out, and "at a time prescribed by law"
inserted; and the words "frst day of
January next" are stricken out, and the
words Tuesday after the first Monday
of January" inserted. This is proper
change, because it is often inconvenient
to meet on The first Monday of January,
especially if the first should be on Sun
day.
Section l Of Article III, in the exist
ing Constitution, reads as follows:
"Tne Executive Department snail con-
sist of Governor, Lieutenant Governor,
Secretary of State, Auditor, and Attorney
General, who shall be chosen by the
electors of the State, on the second Tues
day of October, and at the place Of vot-
ing for members of the General Assem-.
bly,"
= The proposed section reads as follows;
"The Executive Department shall con-
sist of a Governor, Lieutenant Governor
Secretary of State. Auditor Treasurer,
and Attorney General, who stall be Cho'
sen by the electors of the State, at the
place of voting for members Of the Gen
eral Assembly, and at time prescribed
by law"
Section 4, Article y, of the Constitu-
tion reads as follows:
"Townshir officers sLall be elected on
the first Monday of April, annually, by
the qualified voters of their respective
townships, and shall hold their offices
for one year, from the Monday next sue
Ceeding their election, and until their
successors are qualified"
1t is proposed to substitute for the Sec
ton above the following:
"Township officers shall be elected on
the first Monday of April by the quail
fed electors of their respective town
ships, ia such manner and for such terms
MOI exceeding three years, as may be
provided by law"
The important change in the above is
that township officers may be elected
for three years instead of one as at pres.
ent.
If the amendment to Articles II and !
III are adopted, it will make change in
the time of holding our State elections
In these two sections of the Constitution
are the only provisions which compel
the election Of State officers on the sec.
ond Tuesday of October. By adopting
the new sections, the times of holding
elections become simply subject of leg.
islative enactment.
The real question, then, that is pre-.
gented in two of these amendments is,
Shall our State elections be held in Oc
,ober or November ?"
Ohio is the only one of the large States
hat, in a Presidential year, holds her
State election in October. If the amend
ment carries, our Legislature will un-
doubtedly change the State election, at
least on Presidential years, to Novem
Der, thus having but one election day.
1t will be decidedly better in this and
other respects.