The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1900-10-04
The Constitutional Amendments.

The fundamental law of the state OF
Pennsylvania plainly prescribes the
methods of altering or amending 1t.
Article XVIII, Section 1, reads: Amy
amendment or amendments to this con-
stituton may be proposed In the senate
or house of representatives, and IL the
same shall be agreed to by majority
of the members elected to each house,
such proposed amendment or amend
ments shall be entered on their jour
nails with the ayes and nays taken
thereon, and the secretary of the COM
monwealth shall cause the same to be
| published three months before the next
general election in at least two news
papers in every county in which such
newspapers shall be published; and II
| in the general assembly next after
wards chosen such proposed amend
ment or amendments shall be agreed
to by a majority of the members elect
ed to each house the secretary of the
commonwealth shall cause the same to
| be published in the manner aforesaid;
and such proposed amendment or
amendments shall be submitted to the
| qualified electors of the state in such
manner and at such time al least three
months after being so agreed to by the
two houses as the general assembly
/ shall prescribe and IL such amendment
or amendments shall be approved by
a majority of those voting thereon.
/ such amendment or amendments shall
| become a part of the constitution"
! It will be observed that there is
I nothing equivocal or uncertain about
that. The secretary of the common
wealth is allowed no option in the mat
| ter. II is not stated that he may cause
| the same to be published. The man
datory form is employed, and it is
stated emphatically that "the secretary
of the commonwealth SHALL cause
the same to be published" The COVER
nor is no part or parcel of the proceed
I ings. His name or office is not men
! toned directly or by implication in the
| section. But the secretary of the COM
monwealth is given part and the peo-
| pie have share in the work, and the
! legislature is a factor, and If each of
! these do certain things and a certain
/ result is worked out by their concur
rent action, such amendment or
/ amendments shall become part of
/ the constitution" The legislature may
fail in its part, and the purpose is de-
! feated. The people may vote adverse
! ly, and the work becomes abortive. But
the secretary of the commonwealth
cannot default in the performance Of
his part. The constitution says he shall
and as his oath binds him to support,
obey and defend" the constitution, he
must fulfill his part of the routine in
the work of amending the constitution.
This is as plain as the English Ian
guage can make it. 1t is so obvious
that blind man can see it.
But what did the present secretary of
the commonwealth do under the direc-
tion of the governor and the power
behind the throne?" He failed to
cause to be published three months
before the next general election" after
the form and manner prescribed, the
amendments to the constitution pro-
posed in the house of representatives
~ eiS ioSt SOooioh vi tlt anu
agreed to by majority of the mem
bers elected to each house." These
amendments were in the interest of
honest elections. They were intended
to promote the purity of the ballot,
and because the governor and his mas
ter, "the power behind the throne" is
opposed to honest elections, the secre-
tary of the commonwealth was COM
PEELED to violate his oath of Office and
trample the constitution, the funda-
mental law of the state, under foot.
For that crime he ought to have been
impeached. Because of that violation
of the constitution and his oath he
might be disqualified from ever again
holding Office. But he will go unpun-
ished unless the people punish him at
the coming election by turning his par
ty and himself out of office, for when
he is once out he will be out forever.