Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-02
CONSTITUTIONAL <MEEDMUETs


II the two amendments to the state
constitution, pending before the voters
of Nebraska, are 70 be adopted, the
preliminary step must be taken at the
forthcoming primary election. 1t
transpires from examination Of the d.
rect primary law that the determine
ton whether straight party ballots
shall be counted for or against these
amendments must be made by the
voters of the respective parties at the
September primary instead Of as here
tofore by platform declaration through
their state conventions.
To be more explicit as Il procedure,
the two constitutional Amendments
will be printed in brief upon the Off
cial primary ballots Of each party with
space to permit the voter to record
himself for or against, and the canva
of the returns disclosing a majority Of
votes on the proposition n way or
the other, will place tie amendment
upon the official ballot for the regular
election as being endorsed or rejected
by each political party. Endorsement
at the primary, therefore, means CIV
ing the amendment the benefit of all
straight party votes at the election, and
rejection at the primary means count
ing all the straight party votes at the
election against them.
Whether this is a good method or a
bad method for amending the constitu-
ton is not now up for discussion be-
cause all that can be done is to empha-
size the fact that it is the method pro-
vided by law and will be controlling in
the present in stance. The rejection of
these amendments at the primaries by
more than one of the big political
parties would undoubtedly kill them,
while endorsement by more than one
would insure their ratification and en-
dorsement by one and rejection by the
other would leave the result in doubt,
subject to the disposition Of the voters
who are loosely bound by party ties.
The two constitutional amendments
pending in Nebraska should, in our
judgment, both be adopted. One OF
them enlarges the field of investment
for the permanent school fun by add
ing the school district bonds of this
state to the present list and permitting
the legislature to designate other Sc
c~urities from time to time. This
amendment is absolutely necessary to
enable us to keep our school fund in
vestments at home and to put a stop
to the loaning Of these moneys to dis
tant states which happen to offer the
only legal securities under existing
constitutional limitations.
The other amendment proposes to
enlarge the supreme court from a
bench Of three judges, as now, to a
bench Of seven judges, and to increase
judicial compensation from uniformly
$4,000 to $4,000 for supreme court
judges and $4,000 for district court
Judges. All are agreed as to the neces-
sity of supreme court enlargement, al
though there Is some difference OF
opinion over the method of lnaugura-
ting the new departure. The only OBJ
lection raised is to the plan proposed
by which the new short-term judges
will be appointed in the first instance
by the governor. This objection, as
The Bee has already pointed out, is of
a merely temporary character and will
be completely obviated in the course
Of a very short time as the appointed
Judges gradually make way for full
term successors by election. The
speediest abolition of the unsatisfac-
tory makeshift Supreme Court commits
sion, now filled by appointment, should
more than offset possible scruples
about appointing judges to fill va
cancies.
Attempts to secure desirable consti-
tutional revision in these two respects
have several times before failed in Ne
braska because either of indifference of
the voters or of almost insuperaole
difficulties in the way Of ratification.
These objects may now be safely ac-
complished II our voters will give them
the necessary attention.
-
LORD cRoMER'S WARMING.