Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-05
AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION.
The Nebraska Proposition Reviewed
in Friendly Spirit.
Philadelphia Press

Phlladelphla Press.
One Of the panks OF the platform adopted
by the republican state convention held in
Nebraska last week reads as follows: I'VE
commend to the thoughtful consideration of
the republican party of the nation the propo-
sition that a national convention be called by
wo-thirds Of the states to revise the con-
stitution of the United States under pro-
visions of Article Of the federal consti
tuition" Article of the constitution Of
the United States provides as follows:
The congress- whenever two-thirds OF
both houses shall deem it necessary, shall
propose amendments to this constitution, or,
on the application OF the legislatures of
two thirds OF the several states, shall call
convention for proposing amendments,
which, in either case, shall be valid to all
intents and purposes part of this consu
tuition when ratified by the legislatures of
three-fourths of the several states, or, by
conventions in three-fourths thereof, as the
one or the other mode of ratification may be
proposed by the congress; provided, that no
amendment which may be made prior to the
year one thousand eight hundred and eight
shall in any manner affect the first and
fourth clauses in the ninth section Of the
first article, and that state, without its
consent, shall be deprived of its equal suf-
frage in the senate
The proposition OF the Nebraska conven-
tion is a suggestive one and If It could be
carried out in q sincere, conservative spirit
much good would doubtless result. 1t Is 112
years since the constitution was framed by
tho convention which sat in this city and 1t
was III years on the 21st OF last June
when the ratification OF that constitution by
New Hampshire completed the consent OF
nine states which the constitution itself
sAid was necessary to its establishment.
1t will be thirty years, also, on March 80,
1900, since the last one OF the fifteen
amendments to the constitution was pro-
claimed as ratified. After the ratification Of
the first twelve amendments sixty one years
passed before another amendment was
added, and since the last one was ratified
nearly thirty years have gone.
A good many changes have occurred In
the interval. A situation has come about
which the original trainers of the constitu-
| tion and the proposers of the later amend
| ments, wise and far-sighted as they un-
| doubtedly were, never anticipated. The in
| dustrial and suffrage situation will illustrate
| this. The development OF transportation by
| the steam railroad and the trolley car could
| not have been foreseen and the combinations
| of great interests into trusts were things
the fathers could not realize. Then the
| suffrage question would have been dealt
i
the evils now apparent from this source
had been known. The injury that has
come from the spoils system could
| have been avoided in part, at
| least, by the careful restriction OF
the appointing power, Methods OF legisla-
tion could have been made more effective
and the taxing power OF the general govern
ment enlarged and improved. Perhaps also
| the presidential term would have been made
| longer and the method OF choosing the pres
| ident and United States senator's would
| have been given more directly to the people.
1t is easy to show, in the light OF present
| knowledge, how the constitution OF the
United States might have been made better.
Put when that has been done all has been
! done that the present generation Will prob
| ably accomplish in that way. The defects OF
the present instrument are apparent, but
| II serious attempt were made to revise II
tho general conclusion would be that it is
better to bear the ills we have than to fly
| to others We know not Of" Any national
| convention called to frame a new constitu-
tion would be the scene OF endless wrang-
ling, and even If it should agree upon a
| constitution the chances OF its adoption by
the required number Of states would be
dubious, For these reasons II is doubtful
whether the Nebraska proposition has any
practical results. Public opinion is not vel
enough educated on the subject to under
take so momentous a task as the revision
Of the national constitution. The presen
instrument has been found elastic enough e
meet nearly every situation that has ariser
and under these conditions the nation viii
conclude 10 "bide awhile" before it con-
sents to disturb what It might only make
worse