The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1908-10-24
CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENTS
PERTINENT POINTS
FOR THE VOTER
CONDENSED REVIEW OF THE PUR.
POSES OF EACH OF THE EIGHT
CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENTs THAT ARE UP
FOR DECISION.

mlleaSe n n expenses incideI
to the office; except that committee
officially visiting institutions, outsid
the capital, shall receive actual e.
penses for such visits.
The pay Of legislators now is
for each day of regular sessions G
70 days, and for special sessions. En-
cry 10 years a revising session of IL
days is held, which also pays IS pc
days--$1 per day is allowed for SEES
sions that run beyond the regular Pre-
vided length of the session.
The present allowance of mileage
as well as the $50 a session for sta
tionery, would be discontinued.
COUNTY GOO DRoAD TAX.
No. 2. Gives County Courts discre
tionary authority to levy a tax of 81
cents on the 500 valuation for road
and bridge purposes exclusively. This
levy is no. obligatory. 1t only removes
the constitutional limitations which
withhold from the county and town.
ships the power to raise by local tax,
alton ample road revenue.
This amendment is indorsed by both
Democratic and Republican platforms,
as well as by the State Board of
Agriculture, and is simply a local op.
ton or home rule measure for building
and maintaining good roads and
bridges. Do you want good roads?
Vote yes.
INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM.
No. 8. The people who framed the
Constitution of Missouri had the Ref
erendum principle in mind to safe
guard their rights and liberties, be.
cause they reserved to themselves *.
elusive power to make and amend the
Constitution.
WHAT is THE THIRD AMENDMENT
The Initiative gives the voters the
right to propose a law-to call for a
decision by a majority of the people.
The Referendum reserves to the vot.
ers the right Of review we the acts
Of their Representatives at all tines
to have the people to sanction or veto
any of their acts.
1t is an emergency provision, per-
hitting veto Of the majority, over the
Legislatures acts.
WHAT IT WILL DO.
IL destroys the power of legislators
to pass laws for personal or selfish pri.
vate ends,
It makes the interest of the law
giyer coincide with Justice-thus
blending power with public good.
1t operates, not because 1t has to be
APPLIED, but because the possibility of
Its application serves the purpose.
1t is in operation in five states. been
decided constitutional by five State
Supreme Courts-and also by the u. s.
Supreme Court.
1t guards Representative Govern
nent, by eliminating Mls.Representa.
ion.
The Legislature that refuses to pas
measure the people desire; or. that
a bad law the people oppose.
an be corrected through its operation.
The People always select their rep.
esentatives. Why should they not re.
erye power to pass upon their acts?
The strongest argument used against
he Referendum is that its broadening
endencies might be dangerous to pri. I
ate ownership of special privilege.
o INCREASE SUPREME COURT
JUDGES. /
No. 4. This Amendment increases a
number of judges of the Supreme a
curt from seven to nine, provides for c
divisions of the court instead of a
Vo, for calling in a circuit Judge in S
lse of sickness or disqualification of L
judge of the Supreme Court, and t
lualizes the salary of the Judges of
ie Supreme Court and Courts of ii
ppeal. Il
This Amendment has been Endorsed Il
: the Bar Association of the State. a
ne Supreme Court is now three years
hind its docket, falling more and S
ore behind each year, and this al
mounts in many cases to a denial of d
stice, as a poor man a not afford n
wait for justice, while the rich in
rporation can. The increased ex. u
nse is a mere trihe in consideration II
the right Of the people to a PROMPT "
ministration Of justice. al
A peculiarly excellent feature of this 50
nendment is that of calling in circuit II
iges in case Of the disqualification
the judges of the Supreme Court or til
urts OF Appeal, This e%xpedient has ia
en- in successful operation in the 50
deral Courts, and would add i'm SC
.nsely to the efficiency of the court ag
very little extra expense.
HOME RULE IN TAXATION. pl
No. 5. This Amendment is the re- ai,
t of the thorough investigation Of lat
system Of taxation by two non. pr
'tisan State Tax Commissions. one br
by Gov. Dockery in 1902. tn,
! composed as follows: Judge w. M.
lliams, Attorney Generay Edward
Crow and Judge Peyton A. Parks; 20,
the other, appointed by Gov. Folk, ~
1906, and composed as follows: Z,
n. Judson. author Of Taxa ~
! in Missouri" Herbert S. Hadley, ~,