Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1882-12-31
c.Ssr,ruruoN.L AMENDMENTS.

der discussion at present Is with regard
TO the manner in which the CONSTITUTION
of the State of Nevada shall be amended
There is a marked division OF sentiment
in the premises. The newspapers OF the
State argue generally that the amend
ments should be proposed by the Legs
lature, while many lawyers and other
men in public life hold that a Constltu-
tional Convention would be the best
means of reaching the desired end. There
would hardly be any difference OF opln-
ion were not the important feature OF ex-
peuse involved. Were our State finances
in a more healthy condition everybody
vould doubtless be in favor OF a Constr
t~utional Convention. The revision OF
the Constitution Is a work to winch
special talent and a~daptabiity should be
brought. The task should be entrusted
to men chosen with reference to their
fitness for it. They should be men OF
superlor education and who are familiar
more or less with the principles OF tunda'
mental law. The Convention should
contain a number of irst-rate lawyers,
but it should not be made up entirely OF
men of the legal profession. There
should be a fair s%prinkliug of men OF
good standing in some OF the other pro-
f~essions and of successful practical busl-
ness men. But whatever may be said OF
the character of the members OF the pos
sible convention is, for the present,
somewhat premature, as 1t Is still an
oDen question whether it Is not more
expedient to make the proposed amend
ments in the Legislature. The trouble
rests in the fact that Nevada is greatly
depressed and poor, and that economy Is
a necessity. The cost OF a Constltu-
tional Convention is variously estimated,
General Clarke estimates it at from S25,-
600 to $50. 600, while others place 1t at
a much higher and what seems to US a
very exorbitant figure. The expense OF
the incoming Legislature will not be
more than $50, 600 or S55, 600, and it
seems that a Constitutional Convention
ought not to cost more than that, if as
much. II the State can afford the eX-
penditure there should be no hesitancy
in calling the Convention, for the Ques-
ton of dollars and cents in so serious
an emergency should not be consid-
cred except as a matter OF life and
death. That the finances of Nevada
are in such a d~eplorable state as to
warrant experimenting with the Con-
stitution by persons elected without re-
gard to their qualifications for the i'm
portant and delicate duty, because
merely a cheap means seems offered,
We are not prepared to believe. 1t &C.
cars to us that there are only two
things in the whole affair that are
worthy of serious consideration. They
are these: First, whether a Legislature
elected ~hap-hazard without regard to
their fitness for making laws of the
ordinary sort even, but certainly with
out regard to anything higher or
special in legislation, can be safely en-
trusted with repairing and adding to
the foundation upon which rests
the entire fabric of our statutes;
and second. whether the State can
possibly spare the money to de-
fray the expenses of a Constitutional
Convention. As to the first proposition,
we are satisfied that the incoming Legis-
lature is not a fit body to revise the Con
stitution, not that it is any better or
worse than the legislative bodies that
have preceded it, but simply because it
was not chosen by the people to do that
work. Any fitness that it might have
for the task would, at best, be but acct
dental and not to be depended upon with
confidence. With regard to the second
proposition, We believe that it will be a
saving to the people of the State, in the
long run, to dig up the money some way
or other, however embarrassing it may be
temporarily, and provide for holding the
Constitutional Convention, for this is the
only safe and entirely adequate way of
obtaining the relief sought for through
amendments to the present defective and
burdensome Constitution.
As to the fact, upon which great stress
Is laid in some quarters, that the men,
bers elected to the Legislature are pledged
to call a Constitutions Convention, and
must act accordingly, the votes of the
people at the last election having so com
manded them, we are disposed to look
upon it as a formal matter which should
be considered rather in the light Of ex-
pedlency as determined by the actual
circumstance Of the case. 1t will hardly
be denied that in voting as they did the
people of Nevada had in view merely the
necessity Of a constitutional revision, not
that they thereby manifested a real dis
position as to any specific method by
which their wishes should be accom- |
plished. The ways and means Of coming
at the end proposed were not discussed
previous to the election, and it is doubt.
full whether the two methods of revising
the Constitution. now being discussed,
underwent comparison in the minds of a
score of voters in the entire State. The
SENTINEL is decidedly in favor of a Cen
stitutional Convention, on the grounds of
expediency purely, however, and not at
all because the people voted for it arbi-
trarily at the recent election. We be-
lieve lmnlicitly in CARVING ont the