The herald., 1896-10-25
HON. s. B. GORDON.

Constitutional Amendment No. l.
This does away with the tax on mort
cages and IL in the interest Of the bond
over. The mortgage taxwas intend
ed to put q part Of the burden Of taxa
ton on the lender, but in practice 1t is
found that the lender charges enough
higher interest to pay his tax, and also
half per cent or more to make sure,
so that the bond-ower has to pay not
only the lenders tax, but this half per
cent or more extra. Not only this, but
the provision complicates the transac-
tion and tends to keep out eastern and
foreign capital. whose owners are fear
full Of being caught in some legal trap,
and refuse to lend their money here.
San Francisco and other California cap
italists favor the provision, for it tends
to keep out this outside capital and its
competition for low rates of interest
1t is for the interest Of HSvVho may
want to borrow money that this amend
ment should be adopted.
Amendment No. 2-This amendment
should be adopted, as 1t simply permits
the legislature to dispense with the bal
method Of voting, such as the newly in
vented voting machines. The present
method of voting Is so tedious and puz-
zling to some voters that they omit
voting many of the candidates on a
long ticket This amendment allows any
new QeVlCe tndC Cne legislature Is sat-
isfied will make voting easier to the
voter. provided secresy be preserved,
as now.
Amendment No. 3tThis should also
be adopted. The purpose of the corpo-
ration law Is to encourage people to
go in business enterprises and put cap
ital into them. To do this individually,
either alone or as a member Of part
nership makes not only the capital they
put in liable for the debts Of the con-
cern but every dollar they have lex
cept exempt property. Rather than
risk all they have in business ventures,
many will keep out; whereas II they
could engage in it and risk only what
they put in, they would undertake 1t.
This amendment provides for this. No
wrong is done to creditors, because the
law fully advises everybody that the
debts of the concern can be collected
only out Of the assets Of the concern,
the amount Of which they can ascertain
just as they would those of an individ-
ual or partnership.
Amendment Nos. 4 and 5-Both Of
these are intended to secure more COM
plete self-government. by allowing
towns and cities to manage their own
affairs.
Both should he adopted, although
subdivision Of No. does not allow q
city to pay members Of its board of ed
ucation for their. services, an unwise
restriction. The public is able to pay
all its employees. and should not permit
any to work without regular compensa-
ton, thus tempting them to so admin
lister their offices as to get favors and
other remuneration in irregular ways.
Amendment No. Gone Of the dis
tinctive features Of this is the educa-
tional requirement that voters must be
able to read the English language and
write their own names-not an unrea-
sonable requirement. especially as 1t ap-
plies to those only who are under go
years of age, and does not apply to any
who are now voters. If Americans,
they can Of course read, and IL foreign
ers, learning to read is a proper step
to Americanize them sufficiently to be
permitted to help govern America.
The other and most important feature
Is the woman suffrage provision It
should be adopted. 1t will improve the
moral tone of election issues, both as
to principles and candidates. True, the
majority Of women may not usually,
and on ordinary occasions, vote at all,
but the knowledge that they can vote
will prevent political parties from pre-
senting policies or candidates so outra-
geous as to create an extraordinary oc-
casion. and SO bring out the full women
vote to suppress them. Besides those
who will habitually vote will as a rule
throw their ballots on the side Of de-
cency and useful conservatism and
healthful progress as they understand
them.