Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1896-11-19
BRIM FULL OF DEFECTS.
Special TO tho Kansas CITY Times.

IOpekH, MAD, NOV. 10 III III III
tervlew in the Kansas City Times a
few days ago John W. Breidenthal
started anew the agitation for q con-
stitutional convention The lawyers
Of Kansas, regardless OF politics, are
now and have for years been in favor
of such convention, but heretofore
the republican politicians, fearing
what is vaguely known as the prohi-
bition element, have stood in the way
of reform along this line. Now that an
independent and conservative party,
capable of rising above the narrow
prejudices Of the day, will control the
next Legislature, there is a strong
probability that proposition for a
constitutional convention will be sub
mitted to the people for their approval
or rejection at the election in 1898
David Overmyer probably has given
the question of a new constitution as
much study as any other lawyer in
Kansas. He has spoken and written
great deal on the subject, and be-
lieves that the present age has de-
veloped conditions which can be sue
cessfully and justly treated only by
the application to them of the first
principles Of free government, and in
Kansas by new constitution.
"The constitution should be the
shield and bulwark of the people
against the invasive instincts and the
aggressions Of power from any and
every direction" Mr. Overmeyer
says: against Legislative despotism,
judicial despotism, executive despo-
tism, police despot'sm, partisan ma
Lightly, corporate rapacity, organized
greed, leagued and confederated
scoundrelism, political corruption
burdensome taxation, class advantage
and privilege, class rule, official pecu-
lstion and legal tyranny"
Following are some Of Mr.. Over
myers reasons why Kansas should
have new constitution, as stated by
himself:
1.-The present constitution was ad-
mirably adapted to protect the peo-
pie from African slavery, dynastic
pretense and the pomp and circum-
stance of nobility, from crude pal
pabls military usutpation of power as
against civil authority, from corrup-
tion of blood and forfeiture of estate,
and from various other dangers, few
of which, however, were really ap-
pretended.
"The evils of the Capitalization of
political power and the concentration
of financial powers of corporation,
monopoly, trust, combination; of enor-
NOUS wealth upon the one hand and
pinching, hopeless poverty upon the
other; of the pride of power; Of the
degradation of labor by the arrogance
and injustice of organized and heart
less capital; of law making and en-
forcing as a partisan device, as q
means and source of profit and
power, at the expense Of popular lib.
erty and individual right, of taxing
the people to fatten armies of drones
Of authoritarian, mandatory and Soc
lal aggression upon the rights Of in.
dividuals. These were not dreamed
of as dangers to the future state
Today in this young and noble COM
monwealth they are sad and shame
full reality.
"To arrest, restrain and remove
these and many other wrongs is the
object of new constitution. In SC
far as the constitution is mere ad
ministrative chart, the subject Of 6
new one has been recently thoroughly
discussed by many learned and able
men of the state l shall not, there
fore, enlarge upon the insufficiency
of number Of the justices Of the gu
preme court, nor upon the accumulat
ed and increasing business of thai
court, which, through delay, works
and will work, in many instances, {
practical denial of justice. Nor shall
/ dwell upon the anomalous provs
ions of our constitution which provide
for House Of Representatives of moi
to exceed 1875 members, and at the
same time that the House shall admit
at least one member from each or
ganized county. The necessity of {
change as regards the Supreme cour'
and the House of Representatives il
universally conceded
"As to prohibition, the arguments