The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-05-21
A New Departure In Constitution
Making

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; as their rule in life the good old Parson
Dale maxim, g1tieta non B1ouere. 1t is
certainly new departure in many par
ticulars, and it may be regarded as the
elimination ola popular uprising against
the power which mammoth corporations
have welded without restraint in that
State. We have epitomized from our
exchanges some Of the prominent fea-
lures Of this remarkable instrument
1t provides for the abolition and preser-
walton Of the grand jury system. \
grand jury must be summoned once a
year, but prosecutions may be by infor-
nation instead of Indictment In civil
suits three-tourths Of the jurors may
find a verdict in civil cases, or criminal
cases not amounting to felonies, the jury
may be Of less than twelve members in
the latter kind Of case jury may be
waived Trials for libel must be held
in the county where the libel is pub
lished or in that where the plaintiff re-
sides. The Judiciary is remodelled and
the Legislature. vested with power to
abolish any Of the courts, including the
Supreme Court. No Judge of superior
tribunal can draw his pay unless he can
swear that no case in his court which
has been three months before the court
remains undecided. A poll tax of not
more than 81 is to be levied annually on
4
every male inhabitant, and the LegisIa-
ture Is authorized to lay an income tax
and TO exact sworn annual statement
from every person of all his property
The only exemptions from taxation
are growing crops, public property and
property exempt under Federal laws.
W hIle there Is a taxation of mortgages.
there is to be no reduction of the valua- |
ton of a debtors visible property on
account of any debt he NAV owe.
Corporate capital is to be twice taxed, |
the corporation and the individual share
holder being assessed on the same prop |
erty; which may be considered rather
a new and brilliant discrimination
against companies as compared with
unlncorPorated competitors. A corpo-
ration cannot hold any lands but its
own premises for more that five wears.
so that a bank would have to shun real
estate investments lest it should be
compelled to realize on its holdings at a
time Of depression. Individual stock
holders are liable pro rata for the debts
Of corporation incurred during the
period of ownership, a provision which
will prevent banks from lending money
on mining stocks, the security being
valueless unless indorsed over and it
being impossible for the bank to accept
the liability of the stakeholder Direc-
tors are to be jointly and severallv ],
liable to an unlimited extent for all
moneys embezzled or stolen by the
efhcers of corporations, a provision
which will tend to fill the directories
with men Of straw. There is an eipbt-
hour law and a mechanics lien law. =
md Railroad Commission independent
II the Governor, and there are clauses
excluding the Chinese from the right of
prohibiting corporations or :,
public contractors from employing them {,
md lnstructlng the Legislature to pro-
llblt the Introduction of Chinese immi- -
rants and to delegate to cities and -
owns the power to expel their Chinese
inhabitants. ~
The two dozen sections designed to :,
orrect the abuses of corporations form '
Ighly important part of the proposed -
1t is provided that cor -
oratlons must be formed under gener- "r
raj laws, not special acts, and the State III
ever made a corporation stakeholder; 80
nat trustees and directors are liable I'D
II embezzlement money; that stock ~
lall never be watered nor stock or vi
)nds issued, save for money or proper- 'ei
received or labor done; that business lo
lall be conducted, meetings held, and SCI
counts kept only in certain specified pr
avs transportation companies are no
Ridden to discriminate in their h''
arges for freight or passengers, but i'i'
.curslon and communication tickets
ay be issued at special rates in other Law
spects, the charges must be uniform int
pro rata for distance. The Railroad mi
are the only persons bal
lding offices of trust or profit in the dis
ate to whom free passes can be offer eve
, and besides the punishment of the gar
npany issuing free passes, the accept be
ee works forfeiture of the takers exc
Ice That is an excellent provision pri.
are Others aimed at wheels within law
eels, and rings within rings, forbid you
lg officers or employees of the COM
ny from being personally interested 1
furnishing IT with supplies, or being the
yaged IN the business of a common the
rler. II a railroad once puts down - .
rates for the sake of competition with ~ G
'ther common carrier, it cannot mt Fele
m up again without the consent of was
Railroad Commissioners pro- k;lls
on designed to check the trick of -.
akIng down legitimate competition 'eA
tremendous sacrifices, and then. semi
IN monopoly is secured, putting up colo
: higner than ever. The Railroad been
are to have, examining will
'unts, hearing and deciding COM
nts, and having many powers of il
rts of record. A company break non,
or evading their regulations to be
d at least $4,000. An officer or tuck
'ioye who demands more money than Ellio
established rate is to be imprisoned adve
3 time not exceeding a year, and De
So nrov;aion not .r e&o eepaag so;uoo Clay