The Advocate and news., 1898-02-16

should be secured by petition. Whenever
a majority OF the members OK the State
Legislature desire that proposed change
In the fundamental law be made, they
should have the right to cause it TO be
submitted to the consideration OF the peo-
pie.
The State should take advantage Of the
inventions and improvements In printing
and should own and operate its own print
ing plant. IL should publish periodically
a State Bulletin which should contain all
legal publications Of a State character.
and In which should appear reports OF
the various State officers and the proceed
ings Of the State Legislature, and in which
would, of course, appear the proposed
amendments. This bulletin should be fur
nished to the people at cost,
IL the next Legislature will cut down tho
cost Of printing to one-third or one-fourth
what II now IT, and will submit some such
amendment as the following 1t will prob
ably be ratified by the people,
Resolved. by the Legislature Of the
State of Kansas. two-thirds OF the
members of each house concurrtng
therein.
That section Of article IA OF the con-
stitution of the State Of Kansas shall
be amended so as to read as follows:
Section /. Whenever one-thrd OF the
legally qualified electors OF the State OF
Kansas who shall have voted therein
at the last general election for State
officers shall propose by petition any
change in or amendment to the con-
stitution Of the State of Kansas; and
whenever a majority OF the members
of the State Legislature shall, in joint
session, propose by resolution or other
wise any change in, or amendment to
said constitution. 1t shall be the duty
of the Secretary Of State to cause such
change or amendment to be submitted
at the next general election for State
officers, to the legally qualified electors
nf hn % fan thafv A
rejection. The correctness of the pc
titons shall be verified, and the notice
of the submission Of the proposed
change or amendment shall be made
as shall be provided by law.
Such an amendment ought to receive the
hearty support OF every individual and
| every organization in the State whose
efforts are devoted to any kind OF re.
| form requiring legislation. For such an
| amendment the advocates Of the inltia-
| tive and referendum, the advocates OF
! equal suffrage, the advocates OF the single
tax, and those favoring the resubmissior
| of the prohibitory amendment ought tC
| work in unison. For such an amendment
every believer in free institutions and self
| government by the people ought to labor
If submitted by the next Legislature sucl
an amendment will probably carry by ~
overwhelming majority. It's adoption woulC
| mark an epoch In the evolution OF dem
| ocratic government. | am not unmind
| full Of the consequences Of such n chang'
In our institutions. 1t would, indeed, b,
great, its results in the end would be good
Il Is here, In the valley of the Mlssls
sippi that the future great achievement
| Of the human race are to be wTough
| out; here will be witnessed the evolution
of science, Of art, of literature, of inven
ton, OF commerce, and here will be wit
messed the evolution Of democratic gov
ernment. The people OF Kansas, by in
telllgence, by learning by n study of po
litlcal principles and political history, b,
character and by courage are qualified I,
take this STEP Let them demand the righ
to re-make their constitution, and TO re
make 1t in their own way. 1t may be de
clared an axiom that any people win hav,
government as free and as perfect al
they have intelligence to invent and cour
age to demand. Let us have a new constl
tuition, but let 1t be people-made.