The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-05-01
Northeast Venice Farmers, Club.

PERTAINING made us anything but re-
luctant to accept their invitation.
The meeting was opened by sing
ing "a Farmers Life for Me-" The
chaplain conducted devotional eXer-
| cises. Following this the secretary
read the minutes of last meeting,
| also a card from Prof. c. ID. Smith, of
the NJ. A. c.. He and Mrs. Smith
| have gone to Piracaba San Paulo,
Brazil, to found college like our
state agricultural institution. He
babe us a pleasant farewell.
Mrs. Sheldon read paper on THE
Benefits of a College Education for
a Farmer" She carried the idea that
| it was of more benefit to the farmer
than many think as it equally devel-
ops body and mind. The paper was
| enjoyed very much.
| Mrs. S. Anthony read selection
when Ma Has Company"
Mr.. Martin talked and read a de-
scription of how the president, of the
u. S. is nominated and elected in
which he described all the steps TAX
en-.
Mrs. Hattie Frasier gave us cur
| rent events. She applied the items
to the present company, and in such
a way that they provoked much fun.
James Lawcock was to review the
con-con, and said: Eve must go
deeper into the subject than to find
that there are some improvements in
the new constitution over the old. 1t
is hardly to be supposed that num-
Der of men could spend one hundred
days in convention and not do lit
tie. The convention in Oklahoma the
year before spent about the same
amount of time, and very much was
said by outside papers but it was be-
cause they sdid so much. 1t was |
largely because they would not listen |
to the corporations and whislley lob
byists, and carried out every measure |
demanded by the people. 1t gave !,
them the initiative, referendum and
recall, a tax law so that corporations
pay their share of the taxes, a rail
road commission with power to act
and the right to vote on prohibition.
In short, the convention constructed
the finest constitutional structure
ever erected in the United States, be-
cause the wishes of the people were
in their minds. They did
not consider the people servants of
the legislature, nor servants of the
but considered them
selves servants of the people.
THE Oklahoma legislature was in
session last fall, when the panic came
on, and they at once passed law to
protect bank depositors which other
states are now adopting. l simply
cite these facts to show what can be
done when we remember the people
and forget self and selfish ends.
do you suppose the people of Ok
lahoma would have accepted such a
thing for a constitution as our con-
convention proposes for
us? No indeed they would have re-
NAMED a territory ten years longer
rather than submit to such disregard
for their rights.
What the constitution costs the
people of the state has nothing to do
with the question of it's adoption. If
We bought a pig in poke the sooner
we killed the pig and burned the poke
the better for us.
What kind of an influence will it
have on future legislatures to endorse
this high-handed trifling with the peo-
pies rights and wishes? Can we af-
ford to tell future bodies, do as you
please and We will put up with it?
What good will it do to adopt 1t,
or what have we gained after adopt
ing it? Nearly all of the essentials
that the people wanted were ignored.
Do they think that the people will
forget it in a few days, and all will
be we'll?
"Do we want to maintain this idea?
Do we want to encourage disloyalty?l
Do we want to pay premium to
men to deliberately betray and de-
feat the people who were kind enough
to give them a position? If we do
we want to walk to the polls and vote
for the constitution.
"Some of the most important
wishes of the people were left out.
If we adopt this constitution it means
perhaps twenty years more before
we have a proper form of taxation,
md we will lose many times more
han what a new constitution would
cost. Our states constitution should
De for freedom and liberty, and if
he people of Michigan are to main
ain and uphold the principles of
liberty, they must rise above the
Price of a constitutional convention
md vindicate the old saying, Eternal
Vigilance is the Price of Liberty"
The speaker gave the number and
Of the con-con delegates,
which were as follows: 70 lawyers,
% merchants, farmers, and one
minister. 1t was a great review but
northeast venice farmers club -.
'ur club is not tired of it nor do they
hink they know it all. The con-con
s to be the topical question for the
lub meetings until the election in Z
[OVanlhar