Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-09-06
Amending the Constitution.

| It is well, now that three amendments
Ia The CoasjitgiiJn are submitted tn tha
people of Ohio, that electors should uu-
lerstaud the provisions under which
| they vote There are, we find, many
misapprehemsions on this poiut. The
! following is the Constitutional provis
ion. and the oaly one there is on the sub
iect:
.'Either branch of the General Assembly
NAV propose amendments 10 the Constitution,
and if the same shall be agreed to by three
> ffihs of the members elected to each House,
| such proposed amendments shall be entered
on the journals, with the years and nays, and
and shall be published in at least one newspa,
per in each county of the State where news
paper is published, for six months preceding
the next election for senators and RepreSeH
tTticts,a at which time the same shall be submit
| ted to the electors for their approval or rejec-
ton: and if majority of electors voting al
such eLecti0n shall adopt such amendments, the
same snail become part OF the Constitution.
When more than one amendment shall be
submitted at the same time they shall be so
submitted as to enable the electors to vote
on each amendment separately"
There is, it will be observed, only one
election at which amendments can be
voted for, and it requires majority OF
electors voting at such election, that is,
for Senator'S and Representatives., to car
ry the amendment. If 100000 votes
should be cast for Senators and Repre-
sentatives in the State it would require
more than 100000 to adopt an amend
ment. Every vote, therefore, east for
the Legislative ticket, and uot cast for
the amendment, would count against
the latter.
There is another view to be taken of
the prohibitOTy amendment The Con-
stitutiOn does not enforce itself PrOhi-
bition, if voted in. would be dead let
ter unless enforced by suitable legisla
ton. IfIthe Legislature, therefore should
be hostils 10 prohibition the only thing
to be accomplished by voting it into the
Constitution would be to repeal the Scott
Law and secure renewal of practical
free trade We mention this point be-
cause it has been suggested that Prohibi-
tiOnists vote plumprr for the amend
meDt and refrain from sOting for mem
hers of the General Assembly. 1t would
be quite as sensible to resolve to save
house on fire and at the same time take
care that nothing should be done to ex-
tinguish the flames. 1t is not the vote
for Governor or State officers that counts
in determining the result on the
Constit utional Amendment,b but the vote
for members of the General assembly.
RI ad1na r. mo Ii
quOr question. The first is for legisla
tive control. This covers the Scott Law.
The second is prohibition. This, if
adopted, would nullify the Scott Law
and would not prohibit, unless Legis-
lature should be elected favorable to
prohibition. 1t is the privilege of each
elector to vote on both amendments. He
may vote yea Oh the first and second, or
vice versa, or yea on one and nay on
the other. No electUr exhansts his priv
ilege when he has voted on one amend
ment. If there are persons who prefer
prohibition to anything else, and yet pre-
fer taxation to free trade, they should
vote for both amendments. If both
should be defeated the Scott Law would
stand. If the second should 0e adopted,
The first, even if adopted, would be null
lifted, and prohibition would depend
upon the Legislature.
The Republican party has submitted
both amendments without committing
iself for or against either, and the mem
hers of the party are free to vote for ei
iher or both, or against either or both.
OF not at all; but the Republican panty
is committed in its platform in favor OF
the Scott Law-that is to say, in favor
of the principle of taxation as embodied
in that law. The Republican candidates
stand upon that platform, and they are
free to exercise the privilege of all 9TH
er citizens in regard to those amend
ments. They are not permitted TO go
outside of the. platform to favor or OPP
pose the amendments. The question IS
not political one. and citizens, inclu-
ding the candidates, are free to vote ac-
cording to their conscientious convic-
tiOnS-Cin. CON- Gazette