The Saint Paul globe., 1896-08-18
AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION.

AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION.
Seven propositions will be submitted
to the voters of the state for their
approval or rejection at the November
election, relating to the constitution
of the state. The first of these in or
der is one to authorize a convention
to revise the constitution, and, in many
ways, this is the most important of
all. The reasons for 1t are obscure.
The organic law has stood the test
very well for nearly forty years, and
whatever defects were in it, or what
ever changes altered conditions have
made necessary, have been cor
rected by amendments. There
is some dead timber which, if
cut out, would rem9ve blem-
ishes, but they are uniwportant and
certainly do not warrant the expense
ly new document.
But there is anZther objection that
we regard as Sufficient. Public opin-
ion in rega>1 to the nature of the
state is undergoing a change. The old
iGea that the state is the absolute
sovereign, save as its powers are re-
stricted by these organic instruments,
is giving way to the idea that its
functions are very limited; that the
sovereignty rests with the people, and
that the superstructure is composed Of
delegated powers to the rising and
narrowing sections having jurisdiction
over the wider concerns of the people,
1t is the idea of home rule; that of
individualism applied to towns, vii
lagos, cities and counties 1t is the
idea that men should have all freedom
of action consistent with an equal
measure of liberty in other men, and
that this extends to the social organi-
cations they construct for their con-
venience and security.
There are many indications of the
existence and growth of this idea The
amendment is rare one that is pro-
posed to give larger power to the leg
islature. With hardly an exception
they are in the direction of restricting
those powers, removing them from the
state and returning them to the sub
divisions of the state whence they
came, and where they properly
belong. Such was the amendment
that swept away the authority for
special legislation in this state, and
kindred to it is the provision for bien-
NAL sessions. We find indications of
it in the discussion of the right of
home rule for cities, with the denial of
the fitness of a state legislature to
provide for the varying wants of s1u-
inequalities.
But this idea is not yet sufficiently
developed. The constitution that will
be framed, when it becomes so general
as to demand place in the funda-
mental law, will be on quite different
lines from the one that would be made
by the convention proposed. To at
tempt it now would be gathering un-
ripe fruit. The ideas that are stir
ring are not crystallized. There needs
to be yet further and fuller discussion
OF them. Some may be too radical,
some too reactionary. Public opinion
is in no condition for such serious
business. 1t is absorbed in other ques-
tfons, intent on other Objects 1t is in
periods of calm and not of stress that
constitutions should be built. When
such time arrives, bringing with it
more accurate conventions of what a
state is, what it's proper functions are;
when this reaction towards paternal-
ism shall have spent its force, will
be the time for thorough revision
of our constitution. But that time is
neither now nor within the period with
in which this amendment contemplates
action would be taken. Punchs coun-
sci to the young people bent on marry
ing applies here: Don't