Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1903-04-22
Ex-Lieutenant Geo. 7. Jesters
Views on Proposition.
suggests Convention 10 Amend Articles
and Sections Namei by The
Legislature Only.

corsicana Texas, April 1t-on the
question OF calling a constitutional
convention ex-Lieutenant Governor
George t. Jester said last night
"rhe question of whether or not a
convention should be called to form
a new constitution has been burning
tissue before the people for the past
eight or ten years, but the legislature
has time and again refused to make
the call That number of articles
and sections of our present organic
law should be amended there is no
question This is made necessary by
the growth of the state threefold
since the present constitution was
made in 1875. This fact is admitted
by many who oppose the creation Of
an entirely new constitution, In my
opinion 1t would be useless to repeal
the present constitution to make room
for an entirely new one The proper
course is for the legislature to call
convention to amend the present con
stitution, designating the articles and
sections to be amended, and leaving
undisturbed all OF the present instru-
ment not named in this call.
Since Texas became a state there
have been but two constitutions made
by the true representatives of the
people. These we're the constitutions
of 1s45 and 1875 In 1856. after the
civil war, the constitution was largely
amended, and three years after an
entirely new constitution was formed
by party that misrepresented the
people A few years later the demo
cratic party came into power and
framed our present organic law Had
it not been for the constitution Of 1869
doubtless the one of 1845 would be the
constitution Of today, amended, OF
course, in keeping with the growth.
progress and necessities of the people,
The idea that many entertain that be-
cause some parts OF the constitution
should be amended that the entire doc.
Fument should be repealed-is prst
GUS. It would be just as absurd
propose 70 repeal our entire statutory
laws because the necessities and pros
perity Of the people required that
some Of them should be either repeal
ed or amended and new laws framed.
There is so much in our constitu-
ton that protects the rights Of the
citizen, drawn from the first consti-
tuition that was framed in 1S45 pro-
visions founded on our democratic
theory Of government. Among the
provisions sacred TO the people is the
/ educational act, exemption provisions
and homestead provisions, and many
others that will cause the people tc
hesitate before voting to abolish Il
and run the risk of re-enacting tbs
same provisions in a new constitution
Texas was the first state IN the
) union to provide a homestead exemp
). ton. The builders of our first con
r stltution went back centuries to tht
government of Mahomet and provided
for the exemption of the homestead
from debt only for the purchase mon
ey thereof Right here let me sa.
that these provisions in our presen
organic law will cause the people
to hesitate before risking any possible
change by new constitution on
}, pioneer patriots acted wisely in max
c Ing these provisions. and the people
/. will ever guard them with iealou
+ care. There is no more sacred pro
vision than the homestead exemption
1t is the ark of the covenant Of on
constitution, and viii be protected an,