The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1899-02-25
Atty.-Gen. Oren States that Com
stitutiOnal Amendment Did
Not Garry.
IT REQUIRES a MAJORITY
OF all Those yoting-COnstitu-
tiOn il Definite in its
Provisions.

| A question OF constitutional re-
vision which the people OF the state
of Michigan have been discussing
extensively since last November has
finally been definitely settled by
Atty Gen. Oren in the negative.
.FThe general election last November
was the third held under the It.
year clause since the adoption, OF the
constitution in 1850. At the election
last November there were 42l 164
votes cast for governor, this being
the maximum vote on state officers.
thus indicating the number OF prima
facie qualified voters voting at tina,
election.
On the question Of the revision OF
the constitution there were only
289, 9,270 votes cast, 1872, 1873 being ia
favor of revision, and l27, l47 against
it. 1t will be seen, therefore, that
the affirmative vote was not equal
to majority OF the qualified electors
voting at the election.
The disputed question has bcen
whether the affirmative vote was
sufficient to authorize the legislature
to now call constitutional conven-
ton, it's solution depending upon
: the construction to be placed upon
the words. "majority OF the electors
voting at such election,
which are found in the section os
: the constitution referred to.
Atty. Gen. Oren was asked for an
opinion, which has just been handed
down. He declares that he has n"
hesitancy in saying that the Michi-
pan supreme court woull, without
question, hold that the majority in
e tended by the constitution is ma
u jority, not of those voting on the re-
3 vision proposition, but OF those
participating as voters in the gen :
re eral election.
in The attorney general says that
l. the difference between the language
m of this section and Of that of tho
s, succeeding section providing thai
us any amendment to the consitdtioI
may be proposed by the lcee ee,slaturc
"and if majority OF che electors
qualified to vote for members of thu
err legislature, voting thereon, shall
ratify and approve such amendment
in the same shall become a part OF tn
-;s- constitution, is significant. l
of shows that while an amendment ma
;th be carried by very small majority
,f,, the trainers of .the constitution Il
az, tended that in order to start tn
of machinery for general revision
at the organic law of the state, fu
h ;s and complete majority OF the electo
cat participating at the general electio
rio should record their votes in i
,ur- favor.
the He concludes as follows:
ono "First. Article Xxx, 4, section 2,
liar the constitution, must be constru'
any as requiring that before the legisl
the ture can proceed to call constit
iftv tional convention, there must ha
the been cast in favor OF q constitutio
hin al revision vote equal to a majori
sue. of the voters participating or votil
,ces at the election at which the propo'
and ton for revision is submitted. T.
At requisite majority was not receiv
zen at the general election OF 1888
teen "Second Article Xxx, section
ans is mandatory in its provisions
!, so respect to the requirement OF t
the popular majority which the secti
late clearly requires.
bich ''Third. AS long as article X1
ex section 2, stands as it does, the pc
pie and the legislature OF the sta
of Michigan, are bound to follow t
provisions there laid down in ord
you to secure q constitutional revision
,ills