The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-10-30
shall We Have Constitutional Convention
In Pennsylvania

CONSTITUTION. since then the Legisla-
ture has, with more or less earnestncss.
been engaged in remodelng our laws
to conform to its requirements. Sew
enteen years have passed, however,
without any very serious efforts to en-
force many Of its most important pro
visions. The judiciary of the State has
expended much time on its interpreta-
ton, and 1t is only within the past few
years that its meaning has been so def
nitely determined by the highest Courts
as to partially end the chaotic conflict
between the statutory laws and the
Constitution.
On the 10Th Of June, 1891, the Gov
ernor approved an act requiring the
electors of the Commonwealth to vote
at the November election for or against
holding a Convention to amend the
Constitution The title of the act is
misleading. 1t is called "an act to
provide for a Convention to amend
the Constitution" but the sixth section
gives the Convention power to pro-
pose to the citizens of this Common
wealth, for their approval or rejection,
nec Constitution or amendments
to the present one, or specific amend
ments to be voted for separately. In
other words, n convention is to be cre-
ated possessing and representing the
sovereign power of the people, with
power to destroy, alter and amend the
whole structure of Government, and
all the laws Of this Commonwealth, and
without any limitation on the exercise
of this power, save the Constitution of
the United States, which guarantees
to every State in this Union a rcpubh-
can form Of government
The Constitution provides an order
ly method of amending its provisions
without resorting to the extraordinary
means OF a new convention. To make
its provisions more stable, and to pro-
tect it from sudden changes by every
"wind of doctrine" it wisely provides
that amendments shall be agreed to by
majority Of the members elected to
each House, then published for three
months before the next election in two
newspapers in every county, and then
if another and new Legislature agrees
to the amendments they shall be again
published for three months and submit
ted to the qualified electors of the
Commonwealth at an election. Each
amendment is to be voted upon separ-
ately, and no amendment is to be sub
mitted oftener than once in five years.
In utter disregard of the great con-
servatlve principles regulating future
amendments embodied in the provis
ions of the Constitution itself, the Leg
islature proposes new Constitutional
Convention. 1t is not called in the us
ual way, by first submitting the call of
Convention to a vote of the people,
and afterward selecting at another cleo
tion proper persons as delegates; but,
with marked cunning, the delegates are
to be voted for at the same election at
which the people pass upon the neces-
sty for Convention. The object is
plain. One hundred and seventy.sev,
en- members are to be elected twenty
seven in the State at large and three
in each Senatorial district If the peo
pie vote for a Constitutional Conven
ton these gentlemen will all be elected
to Office and receive $1,000. In every
district, therefore, there are at least
three men whose activity and personal
influence are secured by the prospect
i've honor of SO high an Office and its
emoluments to persuade the people to
vote for this new Convention. With
out such machinery the people would
be indifferent and the whole scheme
defeated. We are not confronted with
such a serious condition of public af
fairs as to justify new constitutional
Convention and the expenditure oI
$265, 400 to pay the salaries of the
delegates, p.us at least $235,ooo more
to pay mileage, incidentals and gener
al expenses, making total cost o
half a million dollars. No one should
begrudge the expenditure of so large a
sum if necessary to secure the best
possible form of government; but, un
der existing conditions, the chance:
are that the money would be wasted
and the end not attained. This is q
most inopportune time to undertake
the formation of new or genera
revision of the old Constitution. The
electors will be required to vote
on the adoption or rejection next year
when there is Presidential election
National politics, involving most i'm
portant issues, will engross public at
tention to the exclusion of State issues
The Convention may submit new
Constitution to be voted for as whole
or it may submit specific amendment:
to be voted for separately" If new
Constitution, or many amendment:
are submitted, an intelligent judgment
by the average voter will, by reason o.
excitement and interest in general pol