Evening journal., 1893-01-03

vest within our borders. The lowest
rate of interest always follows the best
security, and abundant capital insures to
the benefit of the borrower, enabling
him TO make easy terms. Nothing that
tends to discourage investments of
capital within the state should be al
lowed to creep in under the cover of
mistaken legislation.
constitutional Amendments
and the election thereon. The history of
the state constitution is ably discussed
and this discussion leads up to the con-
stitutional amendment now pending.
He says:
"Among the important questions which
i'm peratively require your early consider
alton and judicious action is that relating
to the calling of a convention for the
revision and amendment of the existing
constitution of this state.
'In anticipation of the possible failure
of said election of 1891, the General AS
sembly which passed the act (by two
thirds vote of each branch thereof pro-
posing an amendment to article TX of
the constitution. and thereby providing
for the taking a vote of the people in
respect to calling a tion at the
general election The object of this pro-
posed constitutional amendment is to
give the people an opportunity, under
the most favorable circumstances con-
sistent with the public welfare, again
to express their will at the ballot-bo in
regard to the calling of a constitutional
convention. This proposed amendment,
before it can become a part of the con-
stitution, must first have been approved
by the governor, and subsequently pub
lished for the consideration of the peo-
pie, and finally ratified by a three-fourths
vote of each branch of the General As
sembly at its present session.
AS my approval of said amendment was
condition precedent to your ratification
of it, it becomes my duty to consider not
| only the general necessity of any such
action, but also the suitabieness of this
particular measure. Upon reflection ]
was favorably convinced in respect to
both and accordingly gave it my official
approval; whereupon it was duly pub
lished for the consideration of the people,
and now awaits your action in regard to
it's ratification.
Although the reasons both for and
against its approval were gravely consid-
cred, yet those in favor of the proposed
amendment seemed greatly to outweigh
the objections to it. In view of the fruit
less expense of the two recent special
elections. and of the fact that the result
at that of 1891 came withia a few hun
dred votes only of the majority required
to authorize the calling of a convention,
it seems not only judicious but just TO
afford to the people, in a safe and reason
able way (as this amendment does) a
favorable opportunity to express their
| will ia respect to a convention under cir
cumstances which will be most likely to
cause the least inconvenience to the voter
and the least expense to the taxpayer.
For the attainment of this end, the vote
at a general election, in conformity with
the provisions of said amendment, I'M
questionably offers greater advantages
than that at a special election.
Whilst there are strong arguments in
| favor of taking the sense of the people II
respect to calling a convention at time
when the voters will not be subject tC
the influence attending general election
yet the prevailing practice elsewhere is
in favor of a vote for such a purpose al
the general election. If a convention
were now sitting, and actually engaged
in revising our constitution, it might
well consider the propriety, in view o
our recent experience of special elections,
of adopting, as a permanent constitution
al provision, the plan of taking suci
sense of the people at general insteaC
of a special election, especially If sucl
plan be sufficiently guarded against hasty
constitutional changes under the in
fuence of sudden popular excitement o.
violent partisan passion.
But, upon the present occasion, it is
necessary to determine whether the pro
posed amendment to Article TX should
hereafter be permanent provision o
our constitution. That will be the specia
duty of the convention which shall b.
called to revise and amend that entirl
instrument. We are now dealing will
an exceptional case and this proposes
amendment is practically a preliminar.
measure to secure a special occasion. 1t
, immediate purpose is to supply an urgen
need and afford a present means for TAX
ing the sense of the people in respect T.
calling the convention in a mode whicl
in the light of recent experiments wit
special elections, is at this juncture, ia
more desirable than the latter.
{ To show that this conclusion is wei
70 unded, it is merely necessary to adver
to the fact that said amendment wa
proposed. without a dissenting voice i
0 of 1891, which represented, in its mem
, bership, all parties and all classes, a
we'll as every section and every interes
within our State. With such a censu
0 of popular opinion favoring it its promp
ratification must assuredly create generl
0 satisfaction and evoke public commenda
. tion. On the contrary, if not ratified
general disappointment and popular dis
D content will doubtless follow, resulting
possibly, in ultimate resort to violer
con truction of the constitution an
revolutionary methods for the purpos
q Of securing a convention and hasty altei
ations of that instrument. The ratitici
o tion however, of the proposed amend
n ment will certainly avert such resu
~ and satisfactorily settle the protracte
% agitation of the question of calling ii
n convention. For, whilst providing fC
the desired vote at general instead {
70 a special election, it also, with object (
n removing all ground for uncertainty an
controversy regarding the proper col
struction of Article TX, makes EXPIRE
and precise provision for the specii
mode by which every stage of the pr