The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1902-10-29
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
The Leader re-publishes below
the proposed constitutional amend
ments which are to be submitted
to the voters of the State at next
Tuesdays Congressional election,
for ratification or rejection. Else
where in to- days paper we pub
lish some pertinent comments on
this subject by Ex-Chief Justice
Campbell and by Capt. j. S. Nc
Nelly, the able editor of the Vicks-
burg Herald, who was a member
of the convention which framed
our present constitution.
Amendment No. 9, which pro-
poses to change some of the most
vital existing requirements for
amending the constitution, and to
give the Legislature supreme and
final jurisdiction over all legal
questions which may be involved,
we regard as positively danger
Gus ana VICIOUS.
The third amendment, provid-
ing for regular sessions of the
Legislature every 2 years in
stead of every 4 years, as now, is
Objectionable, if for no other rea-
son, because there is no necessi-
ty for it. The truth is, we have
too much changing of our laws,
as it is. A person of more than
average intelligence scarcely finds
out what laws one legislature has
passed before another comes along
and changes them. Our Govern
ors can certainly be depended
upon at the special sessions now
provided for, to recommend all
the important legislation which
the exigency of the situation may
demand. So far from refusing to
do this, the bars have been hith-
erto almost literally let down at
the special sessions and the work
made to partake largely of a reg
ular session. Still another serious
objection is that a change would
be certain to result in greater cost
of the Legislative department of
the State.
Proposed amendment No. is
sufficiently safe-guarded and it's
adoption would be of advantage to
some localities of our State void
of railroad facilities, and for
that reason we would like to see
it adopted.
Here are the proposed amend
ments in the order in which they
will appear on the official ballots:
Amend section 1873 of the Constitu-
ton so as to read as follows: The
Legislature of the State of Mississippi
shall not authorize any county, city
or town to become stakeholder in or
vote aid to any company, corporation or
association other than railroad com
pany, and it shall not authorize any
company, city or town to become a
stakeholder in or vote aid to any rail-
road company unless majority of the
qualified electors who reside therein
and pay taxes upon property therein,
assessed at the value of one hundred
dollars or more, voting on that ques-
ton in such county, or in a judicial
district of county, or in city or
town, at a special election, or general
election to be held therein, shall vote
there for; nor shall any bonds or other
evidence, be delivered to such com
pany until the railroad shall have been
constructed as obligated and in run
ming order, to the point designated in
the proposition voted for; nor shall the
stock taken, or amount donated or
voted be greater than ten per centum
on the assessed valuation of the prop
erty, real or personal, in such terri
tory. In case county be authorized
to become such stakeholder, or to vote
such aid, by vote of judicial dis
trict of county, then such district
shall be made to bear the whole bur-
den thereof. All authority heretofore
conferred for the purposes aforesaid
by the Legislature, or by charter of any
is hereby repealed.