Daily Republican., 1885-03-23
The Right Way to An end the Uon.
sGitutf0n.

If the members OF the Legislature
who favored the increased representa-
ton amendment 20 the Constitu ION, do
not accept the amendment offered oy
Dr.. Hugh Martin, Of tn Senae, they
win pe more ceusarable than were the
half d zen who would LOT vote for their
amendment. Dr. Mar@n's amendment
mos undoubtedly Ciar- nearly COM
Pile with eitE e" expressed u i'm
plied sense ot sAe cou .titution, tha;
goverament -Eould ring ifom the
people, AMI re ,.t5p.e,. by the people.
With this pglrc-ple ir vieo, DIR. Mar
tins amend zen proEide- according to
the c0nsrl L, nrst lie submission II
the question, d Ike people want the
cons.ttlt amended =? In order 10
ascerra 2 the sentiment OF .he peopl il
propose Eha, this question be set led at
a special election, 70 be Geld "a soon as
possible a!'er the legislature acjourns,
say in the month oil May, and said cleo
ton 70 held by the offi :ers who held the
last Safe election. The people are 70
vote tickets on which will BE- printed,
" for Constitutional Convention" and
against Constitutional Convention .
Thus The question is put before the peo-
pie on is own merits, without any Gu
tangling alliance with partisan politics.
The one question OF the amendment
will be the only question that need con-
Germ the voter. This will be very differ
ent from voting long ticket, on which
is inscribed or printed long list OF
names of political aspirants for office, q,
was the case at the las. election, wher,
the amendment question was moi
thought about, or il 1t was it was *
deeply covered up in partisanship tha
il could not be found.
Then at least under Or. Martins pro
posed constitutional amendment th'
people will have a free and untram
meled privilege of saying, as the frs
step In amending the constitution
whether they want a CONSTITUTIONS
Convention called. If they do no
vote in favor of calliRg one it will b
pretty conclusive evidence that they d.
not want one. In speculative poin
of view, the chances would be two I
one in favor of calling convention
New Csstle County at least should b
solid for convention, while the tw,
lower counties would at least be divide,
with the chances in favor Of a conven
ton.
If the vote is in favor Of c1nyer-
ton, then the Legislature is 70 NEE
and order an election for members u
the convention called, the time 70
holding such convention TO be fixed 70
next fall or winter. The proportion c
members 10 that convention from th
several counties will be the same as til
representation TO the Legislature no,
Is from the several counties.
There are those who will say, VIII
that will be no better than an amend
ment passed by the Legislature. III
is true SO far as the proportion Of rel
resentation is concerned, but there a.
other considerations which will mai
it more favorable. The members Of Il
Constitutional Convention having on
the amending Of the constitu ion
view will no doubt be chosen from Il
most liberal and brcai minded men
either party which may be in the a
cendent-men who will not stop TO a,
which party can run almshousos /!
best and can be more expert in maui
ulating bread contracts.
More just and liberal legislation ca
be expected from the men who a. Gle
ted 10 Constitutional Convention thu
from men elected TO Lsgisla ,uTe vi
are expected 10 manipulate Il laws
secure partisan advantage. COnid
Constitutional Convention be Gale
composed Of representatives elected
proportion 10 populaticr, that wJald
preferable, but hat is in po-sio!- uld
the constitution and ~ The people "
have 70 pm. up with this objection a
depend uEcE the liberaliEy OF the G.
ven-iOn 70 remedy This great evil oi I
equa repres 7nta:i1n.
Ba; rhe Pee pie are not left no Jel'
NOS r. pless eyen should the oJnver i
not coke NJ 70 their expectations
leg.sltiion. The work Of the convt
tion Is % be 1T to a direct vote
ii Re pia, he "a ne as the calling
tGs ec. ,su I'm. I. tie vo-k Of +,
q. =E.iou does not please them Ii
cal rej1c. i Z it pleases them IL
can a-cep:l.. TIE process ST amer
ing the const.tu ion commences "
the people aud ends with the peor
aud tina. is why il should BE- accep'
ADORE tie ascr.i-e plan which ha-
the Last 40 years been Def r. tho 2
pie and which from present ape
ances is 30 deeply buried that il can
be resurrected.
l. .,