Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1883-09-21
Calling a Rest on the Constitutional Call.

CdWng a nest on ne CONSTITUTIONAL Sd".
Editor Interior Journal;
Observing in your last Fridays issue
statement Of the result Of the voting at
the last election on the question Of calling
Constitutional Convention, am moved
to make few remarks on that rather tire
some subject. According 10 that statement
the tellers only reported 169,173 as the
whole number of citizens entitled TO vote
at that election, while 222,796 persons ac-
tually did vote. This indicates an error
by the tellers in favor Of the project Of
calling a convention Of at least So, 623 votes;
and yet, in spite Of this undue advantage to
the conveptionists secured by the cunning
dodge of ascertaining the number OF votes
by tellers instead Of in the customary man.
ner, the project was defeated by 21,765
votes. This calculation ia made upon the
assumption that the votes cast at the elect
ion (222,796) were the whole number en-
titled to be cast in the State. But the fact
is that 222,796 is very far short of the
actual number. Some idea of the differ
ence between this and the true number may
be arrived at by making a calculation
based upon the number Of votes cast in
Lincoln county, and the number reported
by the tellers in that county. The whole
number Of votes cast in the county was
1909, and the number reported by the tell
ers as being entitled to vote was 2,941
showing the difference between the number
voting and the number entitled TO vote, 10
be 1872. Now, If the tellers in the other
counties had used the same diligence that
the Lincoln county tellers did, the number
of citizens reported in the state as entitled
to vote would have been PSI POI instead OF
l69,l73, and the majority against calling
the convention would have been ascertsined
TO be l03,79S. In other words, the result
would have shown that there were III, 497
of our citizens against the movement to
1904 in favor of tia difference of con-
siderably more than two TO one.
Ought not these facts to convince
any one that the people Of Kentucky are
not suffering for revision Of their organ
ic law? Ought not this action Of the
people end the expressions Of their. wishes
on this subject heretofore repeatedly and
emphatically given TO entitle them to rest
about this subject Is il good statesman
ship or in any sense good policy TO be re-
peating this monotonous performance Of
enumerating the voters and taking vote
on this question at every biennial electiOn2
think not. To say nothing Of the i'm
politeness Of propounding the same old
question to each voter every two years,
do you vote for calling a convention, or
notf" the expense attending these numer-
Gus experiments is by no means inconsid-
cradle. The cost Of printing the act at
each session and Of printing the Thousands
Of copies Of il that are always provided
for, and Of advertising il in the newspapers
Of the state, and the cost Of extra poll
books and the fees Of tellers, amount in
the aggregate TO perhaps $4,000 on each
occasion. This Is certainly a foolish and
inexeusable waste OF money, as well as an
unnecessary and unjust imposition Of labor
upon the officers Of election for which
they get no compensation.
The article OF The Constitution under
which these votes are taken provides that,
"wAen experience shall point oui aIs necessity n
amending his Consultation" the General