Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-12-08
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For the Times Republican

FOR the Times epMblican.
Buffalo Center. Dec 1.-THE people
are settling down to the belief that the;
biennial amendment will be decided by
the supreme court in accord with the
expressed intent of the voters. Mr. d.
w. Norris. of Grinnell, in his recent let
ter in the T.,R., asked the question, q if
by an error in the wording Of the
amendment the figures 9O2S instead of
1902 appeared, would the supreme court
say the year 902 was the date when,
certain officials time expired?n This in.
reply to the assertion of some that the
supreme court would render decision
according to the letterof the law rather
than the intent of the voter. TO many
of the readers of Mr.. Norris letter this.
seems to settle the question of the
power ard probable decision of the
icourt. Urquestionably the supreme
courts of other states have taken upon
themselves the right to interpret con-
isstitutional amendment. In Louisiana
the constitution was recently amended
nominally to make an educational and
/ property qualification for the voters.
| Referring to 1t the Sun CORES pondent
l.writes
When 1900 came arol1nd 1t wa s found
/ that more than four-tifths of the white
! voters in New Orleans had disfran-
/ chised themselves by a failure to pay
the poll taxes. This caused panic
! among the politicians. 1t was evident
THAT the vote of New Orleans would
i stall below 10 900. being limited TO the
4 owners of real estate. and 1t was feared
i that the city would go for Nc kinley-
I and elect two republican congressman.
4 From this the democracy was saved by
4 a decision Of the supreme court. The
! law had been badly drawn. and nser-
! preting it in the interest of the voter
4 the court declared that the constitution
] had inended that the new system
Il should begin in 1902 instead of 1900: but
Iait warned the voters that those who do
i not pay their poll taxes this. year Will
not be allowed to vote for congressman
Tor other officers in 1902
So that even a laynlan can see that
the supreme court of Louisiana takes
j upon Itself the right to change the fig
lures of an amendment 10 the constitu-
Ftion. this being almost a parallel ca sc
to what we have in Iowa The latest
discovery that the amendment was net
|sentered upon the journal of the house
may effectually Kill THE Whole bust
Iness,' and after the muldie we seem TIC
be- in, strong friends of the Biennial
Ecisctien plan are not feeling so badly
H about it. These men say this discover
makes it Impossible for the would-be
hold-overs TO have any claim on con-
tinuance OF their Term of office, fol
there Is now the best Of reason 70 doubt
4 the legal adoption Of the amendment
4 Itself. So that it Will require monn-
mental c heck for any official to try AMI
I hold his office. giving the doubtful
Ealnendment as his reason for 50 doing
So that all Officials elected last month
ran now lake their Offices tfss frs
Monday in January, sol. And If tht
to- be test case before the suprelle cour
f is not decided for months it will no
fleet the legal changes on the first O
the Year. Many have told the writer
that they are almost reconciled toeths
,lefsat Of the amendment in that it ef
1 fectually kills off the would-be hold
). lovers.