Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-01
MY THEY snnrLn c1RRY.

WY THEY SHOULD CARRY.
The present state constitution went
into effect twenty.onc years ago. Since
1870 Nebraska has ouigrown its swnd-
ding clothes. From less than 100000 pop
ula;lOn we have Increased TO over 1909
600. The conditions under which the
constitution of 1870 was adopted have
changed radically. and yet the organic
law has been amended only once.
Amendments have been submitted at va.
rious times, but have always failed to
receive a majority of all the votes east
at the election, chiefly because the vot-
crS neglected to express themselves on
the propositions submitted and every
blank was counted as vote against
them.
In order to save the expense and agi-
tatiou incidental TO a constitutional con
vcniiou called for the purpose of re-
viSing the constitution the late lcgiSla
turc voted to submit twelve amend.
mcnts to the constitution which cm-
body the most vital changes demanded
by the people. Among these are the
increase of the supreme court from
thrccNto five members; provisions au-
,hUri2ing The legislature to create court
of appeals; amendments to revise the
salaries of state and executive officers
10y vote of thrcr-lifthS of each house
of The legislature; an amendment to ere.
ate an elective railway commission; an
amendment 10 authorize the creation of
/ such state offices rs may br deemed
necessary 10y throe-fourthS Of the lcgis-
/ laiurc, thus doing away with such oHi-
corS as are now drawing salaries as act
| ing deputies for the governor and other
| state officers; IN amendment to author
! iZC Investment of the school fund i'm
! state and comfy securities; an amend
! lirnt authorizing counties. cities and
| precincts TO vote bonuses to manufac-
! the people under specific limitations
/ ana safeguards and lastly an amend
! mcnt to authorize the use of voting ma
! chimes, which are now being introduced
! in large cities at great saving of cX-
punSr for election officers and with abSo-
Lutte accuracy in counting the votes.
! In view of the fact that these amend
mrntS were carefully prepared under
/ supervision of the ablnst legal talnut
/ in The state and the Imperative need of
! Tia" changes proposed The Bee does not
! hesitate to advis" the voters 10 give their
approval TO all the proposed amend
mcnlS by putting an N-mark opposite
the word yes" at the top OF The con
stitutional amendment ballot
These hnllots have been expressly pro-
yidcd by the legislature To make sure
that every voter shall give expression
to his views and thus 10 prevent the
amendments hoing declared lost by de
| fault. We cannot too strongly impress
upon the people Of this state the import
ancc of voting FOR the proposed amend
mCntS. The expense to the tax payers
of a constitutional convention at Il time
when they are ovcrburdpncd with local
and general taxation should in itself
impcl them TO vote for the cheapest and
most expeditions mode of revising the
constitution. But there are even more
important considerations than that of
dispensing with constitutional con
vcntion. 1t is conceded by all who have
given the subject any thought that the
school fund now being used for Sppcula-
tive purposes by the state treasurer
should be invested in registered state.
county or school district bonds. There
is also Il popular demand for II railway
commission elected by the people in
stead of the present appointive state
board. 1t is conceded Furthermore that
we must have mt least five Judges on
the supreme bench to cXprdiatc the
work dcvolving upon the court which
Is now being done by three supreme
court commissioners who draw us much
pay as the supreme Judges.
For all thrs" reasons The Bee recon-
mends TO all voters to cast their ballots
in favor of all the constitutional amend
mcnts proposed. If they carry. as they
should we shall have no need of II
new constitution for another twenty-five
years.