Daily Republican., 1890-05-27
constitu,lon,, neform.

How is II that SO little is said in the
Democratic press of the State in favor
OF constitutional reform in these piping
times OF political convulsionsy Have
they forgotten all about II, or is the
silence studied part of the campaign
programme? Less than twelve months
ago our up town ueighbor, the Every
Evening, was extremely anxious tor
constitutional reform, but somehow lis
gentle tones have died away in the
distance and that great question has
been entirely lost sight OF. The ex-
treme caution and prudence OF our
neighbor, 10 say the least, is com
mendable. Ii is in favor of constitu.
,ional reform, but lis party is against
it. 1t would gladly have constitutional
reform, but II II cannot have it on
Democratic lines. and By enlrenchIng
the Democratic party in power, Il
would rather not have it at all. This
is about the way matters look now.
Talk to leading Democrats and ask
them about constitutional reform, they
ssy, Oh. yes, but we cannot have i
now, the party has enough 10 do To
keep the Republicans from coming
into power. That is just about the
size OF IT, and ii 10 about what we sus
pectcd. Rather than have cons,itu
lional reform at the hands OF the Re.
publican party we will have none.
This conclusion may be all well
enough so far as the Democratic party
Is concerned, but the Republicans
look at ii in different light. They
look upon it as the leading question OF
the day. The State is suffering in all
material interests Tor want OF that re.
form, ard they intend 10 secure il il il
can lie had. They DO not intend that
The Democrats shall gloss the matter
over and slide into the Legislature
without contest on this line. To lay
down basis tor this contest we mo-, /
unhesitatingly affirm that our Demo
cratic f'itnjs are opposed to honest
constitutional reform. They know
that II the constitution is changed
either by q coLvenlion or otherN g
IS ii should be, il will lead to y -,
siican rule, and Tor this reag,,, ,raw ~ a. A.
sss want it. They tA~yn'o 80 lila LAY ,le le
State s9 Ii thsir grasp Asp FOR simost nS ioriy rty
years by the very unfairness which
The constitution entails np0n the peo
pie, and they are slow TO give it up.
II they do lhe Republican majority in
The State will assert itself and claim
The right 10 rule. A Constitutional
Convention would do away with the
lniquituus Bayard assessment laws,
and that would be the end OF Bourbon
IlnnnHraRu l..
shown in all their actions that as a
party they do not wfnt Constitutional
reform, There never has been but
moiety OF the Democratic party in
favor OF that reform.
In the late Legislature the Consti.
tutional Convention bill passed the
House OF Representatives., every Re
publican voting for It, with three
Democrats a a.so voting for 1t and four
Democrats against il. In the Senate
where there were seven Democrats
and two Republicans lie bill passed.
by the House was pigeon huled and
never SAN Tie light OF day afterwards.
Even Senator DJnahoe Gpplnudcd an a
lauded 10 The skiLs before his election
by our EYeiy Evening cortemy yur.ry
rs an earnsst constitutional rc.ormtr,
turned his back upon tho bill TIM
could be passed aud formulated on,
that he knew could lot pass. Their
are earnest constitutional retormers il
The Democratic party, but they vii
not get what they waLt from tina
party, They can only get it by sup
porting the Republican party. WIS
dom dictates that they sh5G,J vote 70
Me party thai will eve them WIZ
They 1ant.-