The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-02-01
Revision of the
Constitution.

SO41o ~ (&(4S11s
Notwithstanding the bitter protests
of some of the state papers against
the proposition to call constitutional
convention, that subject is receiving
crat seems TO be against the conven-
ton, and tries to explain the defeat
of the new Escambia court amend
ment at the last ELECTION as follows:
There wasn't any excuse whatever
for turning down Escambia county in
the last election in her effort TO get
another court through a constitutional
amendment. Not one voter out of a
thousand had any objection, but they
got confused on the Australian ballot
and let the issue go by default by not
voting one way or the other. But is
IL worth the price Of d new cOnstitu-
ton to get that court and some other
things thought TO be needed in other
parts of the state? The truth is that
there is entirely too much legisla-
ton in the constitution, and it was
presumption on the part of the franz
erS of that instrument to attempt to
control the action of future genera
lions, much better able to understand
and provide for their wants than were
those who had gone before. If We
are to have a new constitution, we
should cut out of it much of the
purely legislative stuff found in the
present one, which cramps the state
in various ways and sometimes re-
suits in hardship and injustice.
We believe if Suwannee county
were in the same position that Es-
Gambia finds herself, Suwannee would
be willing to have a constitutional
convention, if that convention were
the only means by which to secure
the relief desired
We went before the people square
ly on this proposition and were over
whelmingly defeated. There are only
two ways in which we can get the
desired relief, apd having tried one
and failed, we are almost ready to
agree to the other
| One of the best reasons We have
heard in favor of a constitutional
convention is given by the Democrat
when it says there Is entirely toe
much legislation in the constitution
and it was presumption on the part
of the trainers of that instrument
to attempt to control the action OF
future generations, much better able
to understand and provide for their
wants than were those who had
gone before"
All these matters should have been
left to the legislature to regulate, be
cause as the state grows these pro
visions will have to be changed &c
meet conditions. The trainers of that
constitution should have known that
these matters would require frequen;
change, and as they provided the
manner in which the constitution
should be changed, they also knew
how much it would cost TO amend
this instrument
1t costs the state of Florida thou
sands of dollars at every election tc
submit these amendments to the PEG
lpIe. 1t does not lower this cost one
cent when these amendments are de
feated, and if they continue to be
placed on the ballot in the future
as they have in the past, and there
is every reason to believe they viii
increase with the years, then 1t would
save the state money to stop now
and adopt a constitution that will dc
away with the necessity for these
amendments. This can be done by
leaving for the work of subsequent
legislatures the regulation of all mat
tiers affecting local interests, such as
the organization of courts, and the
saI-ries of the judges and officers OF
those courts.
The day is coming when the state
will be forced 70 hold a constitutions
convention The present constitution
cannot be revised by amendments sc
as to make it entirely acceptable tc
the people. 1t may do Us for ten, OF
twenty years. but in the meantime
the state must pay out thousands
of dollars every two years trying tC
amend it, and probably failing to dc
so.