The San Francisco call., 1897-04-16

TO the people. The society has now opened
headquarters at room GA SprecKels build
ing. and proposes to keep up active opera
tions until election day, in Novem ber
next.
Hon. Ralph e. Hoyt has been placed in
charge OF the headquarters for the time
being. He Will be the general organizer
of the slngle-tax campaign, and will travel
over the State lecturing and forming clubs.
I'VE propose to plainly state our reasons
for favoring a new constitution" said Mr..
Hoyt yesterday. They are that we de-
sire all revenues to be raised from a tax
on land values and would SO have the new
constitution provide. We shall keep up a
lively paign cf education through the
campaign. We are aware that there is a
very general feeling of discomfort with
the prevailing system of taxation in the
State. II shows itself at every turn, and
we shall take pains to point the one
rational way out OF the trouble. This dis
content shows itself in the many different
attemp pts TO find relief in amending the
revenue provisions in the constitution.
There were no less than seventy amend
ments to the constitution offered during
the last session of the Legislature, ami of
these thirty were directed at the revenue
or taxation clause.
There is no doubt that the movement
In behalf OF new constitution will grow
more and more popular as time passes
and the character of the clumsy instru-
ment that now serves as the fundamental
law OF the State Is made clear to them. AS
Senator Bulla says in a communication
addressed to me at Los Angeles, the ease
with which the Supreme Court finds ex-
cellent reasons for declaring unconstitu-
tional very excellent laws whenever they
co atafs~ ek.<xx e
is something radically wrong with the
constitution, anyhow. 1t is a lot of con-
fusing and hampering legislation. born of
the sand-lot agitation, and this State
should eagerly avail itself of an oppor-
tunity to frame new one that shall lay
down some broad principles, and under
which the business of the State may be
allowed to expand.
This coming election will be very i'm
portant one. 1t will be necessary not
only to determine in favor of the constitu-
tional convention, but We will have TO
elect legislature that will make proper
provision for calling the convention. The
cially from the single-tax point of view, is
entirely non-partisan. Here the most ar
dent Democrats, Republicans and Popu-
lists may join hands"
Senator Bulla introduced the concurrent
resolution that resulted in submitting This
question TO the people OF the State. In
recent letter to Mr.. Hoyt concerning it he
said:
The resolution calls for convention of
eighty mem bers, one from each Assembly dis
trict. with the same compensation and qualifi-
cations as members of the Legislature The
former Constitutional Convention was COM
posed OF 12O members, but my idea in the
preparation of the resolution was that body
of eighty men could be as safely entrusted
with the interests of the people as one CON-
posed of larger membership, and that their
deliberations would require less time and be
much less expensive for the people of
the state. IL the resolution be adopted
by a majority of those voting at the
mex. general election it shall be the
duty OF the Governor to forthwith issue his
proclamation announcing the fact that such
convention has been called, and it shall there
upon be the duty of the next session of the
Legislature lin 1S99l to provide by law for the
election OF delegates TO such convention and
for the holding thereof at the State capitol
The convention must then meet within
three months from the time of the election
OF the delegates and continue IN session until
It's work of revision is completed. Upon the
completion of the revision special election
must be held for the adoption or rejection of
the proposed new constitution. The returns
OF such election must be examined by the
Governor, Controller, Treasurer and Secretary
OF state, and II the constitution is found TO be
ratified the Governor must issue his proclama-