Amador ledger., 1904-10-14
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

AS usual there is a crop of pro-
posed amendments to the state con-
stitution to be voted for at the forth
coming election. Will every gen:
eral election the people are con-
fronted with a lot of proposed
changes in the fundamental law. As
a rule, voters do not take kindly to
these repeated efforts to reform the
constitution. They are disposed to
view them with disfavor, as being
prompted in too many instances by
other than disinterested motives.
The amendments now submitted for
public approval or rejection are i'm
portant, and demand careful con-
sideration
Amendment 2 proposes to recon
struct the SUPREME court, by abolish
ing the five court commissioners,
and creating three district courts,
having appellate jurisdiction in all
SlNh SboCo WuClS GuS dulOuub III
volved is between $500 and $4,000,
and in all criminal cases except
where the death penalty has been
imposed. These district courts shall
consist Of three judges each, making
nine judges in all. OF course, each
will be provided with a full retinue
of subordinate officials, clerks,
bailiffs, stenographers, janitors, and
so forth. The object of all this is
said to be to relieve the supreme
court from large share of it's bur-
den. The court is behind in its work.
Its calendar is overcrowded. If
cannot hope to catch up with its
work as it is now constituted. 1t
takes about two years to get a case
on appeal decided by this tribunal.
1t was the same old cry that led to
the creation of the five supreme
court commissioners, with a salary
attached to each of $4,000 per year.
The salary of the proposed district
judges is not stated. 1t is left for
the legislature to determine. One
peculiar feature is that the supreme
court is given the power to assign
cases from its calendar to the dis
trict courts in its discretion. 1t
can under this provision transfer
most of the work to the district
courts. In other words, the justices
are empowered to shoulder the bur-
den upon others, but draw their fat
pay just the same We cannot
avoid the conclusion that the scheme
is intended to create a lot of soft
berths for political favorites, with
out any correspon ding benefit to the
people. The amendment ought to
be defeated.
Amendment 4, exempting the Lick
property from taxation, on the
ground that it is devoted entirely
to educational purposes, and is
really part of the state educational
system. AS the Stanford University
has been taken from the assessment
roll, it follows the Lick and other
kindred institutions should be treat
ed in the same spirit.
Amendment 20 provides that the
legislature shall meet in February
instead of January, and that mem
GERS shall draw pay for not to ex-
beed 80 days at $S per diem, instead
of so days. If this were all it would
be in the direction of increasing the
cost of the legislative session. But
there is a redeeming feature about
it. 1t limits the attaches of the
legislature to one for each member.
There is no limit under the present
law, and this has caused extrav-
agance and abuse of power to run
riot with every session. AS many
as six attaches per member have
been appointed under the present
law. Notwithstanding that the re-
publican CONVEX tion declared against
this amendment, we feel constr trained
to admit that on the whole its adop-
ton will be in the interest of econ
omy and good government. 1t will
to some extent stop the graft bust
ness at the state capitol, which is
played so scandalously at every
session. Vote for amendment 20,
Amendment II proposes to exempt
from taxation personal property to
the amount of 800. This PROPOSE
tion bears on its face the demagogic
character. 1t is designed to play to
the gallery. 1t would have the effect
of striking from the assessment roll
a large number of small taxpayers,
at the same time, however, giving
large as well as small property
holders the benefit of the 800 eX-
emption. 1t would materially in
crease the state and county tax
rate. 1t ought to be beaten, not
withstanding the probability is,
owing to the one-sided character of
its appeal, that it will be carried.