Waterbury Democrat., 1901-02-05
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM.
Draft of the Bill to Be Acted Upon by

LeSlSlature.
 The Constitutional. Reform associa- ton. which has been agitating the re- form movement for several years, has finally drafted bill looking to con- ~stitutional reform. The following is . draft of the bill:
 State of Connecticut,
 General Assembly,
 January Session, A. D. 1901.
 An Act to Provide for the Calling of
 a Constitutional Convention.
 Be it Enacted by the Senate and
 House of Representatives, in Gen.
 eral Assembly Convened:
 Section l. The question is hereby submitted to the electors of this state whether a convention shall or shall not be called for the purpose of fram- ing in the manner and under the limi tations of this act, form of consti- tuition for the state of Connecticut to be proposed to the electors of this state for their adoption or rejection. The annual town meetings which shall be held in the several towns Of this state and in the several voting districts Of those towns which are divided into vot- ing districts. on the first Monday of October, 1901. for the election of town officers shall also be held for the pur
 
 the further purpose of electing dele gates to such convention. if said queS- tion shall be decided in the affirmative. and in those towns of this state and ill the several voting districts of those towns which are divided into voting districts which do not hold their an nual town meetings for the election Of town officers on the first Monday of October, there shall be held special town meetings on said first Monday of October. A. D. 1901: for the purpose of deciding such question and of electing said delegates to such convention if said question shall be decided in the affirmative. but not otherwise; and notice that said question shall De vot- ed on and said delegates elected shall be given in the warnings of said an- nual and said special town meetings.
 Sec ? The ballots to be used in Not- ing whether said convention shall or shall not be called in addition to the official endorsement shall contain only the words. .'Constitutional Convention, Yes" CT Unconstitutional Convention. No.' and shall be furnished by the sec retary of state printed ready for use ln the same manner as provided in Chap ter 213 of the public acts of 1897. and shall be of uniform size. quality, color. thickness and style of printing for each ballot to be determined by the secretary.
 Sec 3. Said ballots shall be distrib- uted, voted counted. canvassed and tue result of such vote in each town and voting district declared and re- turned to the secretary of state in the same manner. by the same officers and within the same time after election as low n (.lS votes for governor, and the said votes shall be canvassed by the secretary, treasurer and comptroller at the cap itof in Hartford on or before the first day of November. 1901, and the result shall within five days thereafter be certified by them or majority of them to the governor, who shall forth with issue his proclamation declaring that said convention has or has not been called by said electors as it shall appear from said certificates of the secretary. treasurer and comptroller, or q majority of them.
 Sec 4. The said constitutional con vention shall consist of one delegate to said convention from each town in the state. and of twenty-four delegates elected from the state at large regard less of their particular residences: and at said town meetings held as afOre- said there shall be chosen in the Sa me manner as representatives in the gen. eral assembly are now chosen, one delegate to said convention from each town and said delegate shall possess the same qualifications now required for a representative in the general as semhly: and at. said town meetings held as aforesaid there shall also be chosen twenty-four delegates who shall
 4 1, &E.tN nln nG from the state at large regardless of their particular residences: and each elector of the state may vote for not more than thirteen of the delegates at large. and the twenuy-fOur delegates who have the most votes for delegates at large shall be delegates at large to said convention.
 Sec ,. The ballots to be used in the election of said delegates shall be is sued, printed, cast, counted and de- clared in the same manner, by the same officers and at the same time with reference to said election as is now provided by law in the case of votes for representatives in the general assembly, and the ballots to be used in the election of said delegates at large shall be issued. printed. distributed, cast. counted and declared in the same manner and by the same officers and at the same time with reference to said election as is now provided by law in the case of votes for state officers; and the ballots for and against the calling of said convention and the ballots for delegates voted to said convention both those containing the names of del- egates representing the towns and the names of delegates at large-shall be s placed in the same official envelope with ballots for town officers. D
 See 6. Provided that it shall be as- certained in the manner hereinbefore provided that said convention has been called by the electors of this state. the said delegates shall meet in conyen- ton at the capitol in Hartford on the first Wednesday of January next sue ceeding their election. They shall choose one of their number to be pres ident. and they may appoint such oth- CT officers as tNey may deem necessary tho nnnvan-ppf fro cacfi0p of tboil,