The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-14
LETTERS FROM TIE PEOPLE.
AConstitutlonal Convention.

/ To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
| 1t is not probable that under any circum-
stances the present Legislature will provide
for calling a convention to amend the present
| Constitution. Unfortunately, the question,
at the late election, was submitted
upon closely-drawn party lines, was
| loaded down by matters in no way proper
ly belonging to it, and on the surface the
voice of the people appears to be against it.
This may be deemed sufficient reason for
not taking definite action yet nothing is more
manifest than that the wisest and best of
statesmen concede that in many particulars
the Constitution needs more adaptation to the
present condition of the State than any Legis-
lature can well mature in sixty days, if it shall
do nothing else. Speaking of the sixty days
allotted, once in two years, to revision of the
laws for two millions Of people, and such an
investigation of the public interests as any
prudent man would make of his
private affairs suggests that in this
item alone more mischief is wrought
biennially than would pay for a continuous
session OF the Legislature if not needlessly
Durdened with supernumerary clerks, pages,
door keepers, spittoon- cleaners and the like.
This upon the theory that the state must have
Legislature at all at regular recurring periods.
10 mention only one of the many nischievoUs
laws put through under whip and spur, and
without due consideration, take the drainage
law Of 1883, in which the right Of trial by
jury is denied, and under the operations of
which great optrages have been perpetrated.
The mlli-dam law is of the same character,
pushed through by a job, and prevented from
doing incalculable mischief only by the veto
of Governor Porter. So outrageous were its
provisions that, under the light thrown upon
1t by the veto message, at the present session
the Dill did not receive one-siXth of the votes
OF the House Already some most i'm
portant legislation has been indefinitely post
poned because the time to mature the meas
ures is too short.
But do not propose to argue the neces
sity OF d constitutional convention. That is
manifest to all who have stopped to consider
1T. merely wish to suggest that in defer
ence to those who hold, with some show of
plausibility, that the Legislature may not call
constitutional convention without being
first instructed by popular VOTE provision
might be made to submit this question to
vote of the people at the April e."~tion of
1886, 1t not sooner, and to provide that III case
majority demand such a convention, then
nifty delegates, corresponding with the sena-
tor1al districts, be chosen at the following
November election. Let us get at this bust
ness. Let us adapt our Constitution to the
age we live in. 1t is not party question and
never should be so considered The most
eminent jurists and the wisest of our states
men agree that some very important changes
are needed. Let no "crank" foist hobby
upon the measure, but let US trust the people
to do the wise thing. Will not some one
adapt the undisposed-of bin to this idea or
present one embracing it2
FEB y