The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-04-08
NEW CONSTITUTION LEADS AL
OTHERS IN THAT RESPECT
CONTAINS 100000 WORDS
Louisiana Was Formerly the banner
state with $4,000 Words-Alaoam'
Second with 33,ooo-Rhode Island
Has Six Thousand WORDS

Guthrie. Oklaa NIlhl O.
ment by the printers that Oklahoina
mas constitution contains close 10
100 oOO words calls attention to the
fact that II is more than twice as
long as the longest state constitution
over before adopted. Louisiana's con
stitution of 1895 has heretofore held
the record with $4,000 words Prof
James q. Dcaly oi Brown university
I'm a series Of articles written last
year in regard to our state constltu'
tions, stated that 1T is not likely that
any future constitution will surpass In
size that Of Louisiana, but his pre-.
diction has already been proven In.
correct.
The earliest state constitutions sell
dom contained over 5000 words. and
averaged much less. but the tendency
has all along been toward lcngthening
them out. Now the shortest constitu-
tlun. that OF Rhode Island, contains
about 5000 words. and the average
Is about 10. 500 The largest are those
Of Alabama. which used $4,000 words,
Virginia 5000 and Louisiana $4,000
The reason for the enormous length
of the Oklahoma constitution Is the
same one which Is responsible for the
other constitutions which had hitherto
been regarded as abnormally long,
the inclusion Of much matter which
is properly legislative The chapter on
public service corporations alone con.
tains over 1000 words. or more than
the entire constitution Of Rhode
Island II outlines a full scheme for
corporation control. including most of
the Texas statutes ON the subject.
There seemed to be so great distrust
OF the legislature, on account OF the
charges Of bribery and incapacity in
other state. that the tendency was
to limit and regulate In every way
possible the power OF the legislature
so as to reduce the possibility of
mischief
Another source OF additional verbi
age in the Oklahoma constitution was
the county boundaries chapter OF over
5000 words. which was TO certain
extent made necessary by the fact
that the Indian Territory section OF
the new state was entirely unorgan
tied and new counties had Of course
To be created and defined
These two chapters on public corpo
rations and county boundaries wer,
the ones Of greater magnitude. al
though there were of course many
others which were admitted to h,
properly legislative in their character
but for which there was popular de
mand which the convention considered
II its province TO mn, Many delegates
had secured their election TO the con
vention by promising to secure tn,
insertion In the constitution OF Ger
WoV uaVhuol ol uaoQ HuolB IIu spI
pun pzluu5Ioun Elanuo srM auIs on
tain reform measures, which might
better have been left for tn,
legislature to deal with. and felt con
strained to carry out their campaign
pledges. Some strong demands Of that
sort were made by the labor unions
OF the state TO which majority OF
the delegates had subscribed Will,
making their campaign.
While the constitution was so drawn
as TO restrict the powers Of the leg
islaturc, the -3dy IS likely TO De caus
ol a large amount OF extra worl, b,
II In the way Of amendments. II IN,
experience OF other states with Ions
constitutions Is to be- taken as crI
terion In Louisiana, whose constitu
tion was only half the length OF Okla
homa's, the first legislature submitted
one amendment the second larisla
ture six and the third fifteen.