The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1909-10-14

. Every voter in Ohio, no matter
, what his politics, should get these
|. few facts about the proposition to
call another state constitutional
convention firmly fixed in his mind.
He needs to know them now and
, has still greater need to remember
. them until the election next year
There is so much confusion about
it already, easily leading to mis-
understanding, that these facts
, are set forth merely for informa-
, tion.
, The legislature passed bill
during the special session last WIN
ter to submit to vote of the peo-
pie in 1910 the proposition wheth-
, er or not convention shall be
, called to revise the state constitu-
D tion.
No call has been issued for
constitutional convention because
no such call can be issued until
. the people vote to call such a con-
. vention. This is important be-
. cause the public might erroneous.
ly infer from some ambiguous and
misleading statements that have
appeared in print that such call
, had already been issued.
. 1t depends entirely on the voters
!. themselves whether such call
shall be issued, and they are to
settle that point at the general
election next year, not this year.
, If they vote against the PROPOSE.
. tion and defeat it that will end the
whole matter at once.
If a majority of all the voters
who vote at the general election
next year vote in favor of calling
, a constitutional convention,-that
. is, if they vote eyes on the prop
osition, then call for such con-
vention will be issued and the leg
lslature at the next session there
after will make necessary provi-
, sions for the election of delegates
, at the general election in 1912 to
a constitutional convention which
cannot assemble before 1918.
In the event of such conven-
, tion being called, providing it
, completes its work in time, the
, new constitution that will be
!, drafted will be submitted to vote
of the people for ratification or re-
|. LECTION at the general election of
! 1911.
. Should new constitution be
rejected matters would stand just
where they stand today, except
' that Just that much time would be
lost, for little or no remedial leg
D islation would be undertaken by
the general assembly while COM
plete revision of the state consti
tuition was in progress.
Suppose new constitution were
ratified in 1914, there must be new
legislation to put new provisions
of new constitution into effect.
Such new legislation would not
be possible before 1915 or 1916,
which means that no relief from
present conditions can be obtained
through new constitution in less
than five or six years, with the al
most certain contingency that all
; such new legislation must run the
gamut of the courts, which would
mean year or two more, to have
the new constitution interpreted"
and the new Legislation Hereunder
: "defined."
Now if the proposition to call a
. constitutional convention fails to
carry at the election in 1910, eth
er by majority of the total vote
being cast against it or by ma.
: joritY of the total number of vot.
ers voting "no" or not voting at
all, the Legislature will be expect
ed to proceed at once under the
pres ent constitution to enact need
ed laws to meet existing condi-
tions.
The last constitutional conven-
tion held in Ohio met in 1873 and
was in sessi IN year. 1t cost the
= state 1914 4,Ol7, and its revision of
the constitution was rejected at
the polls by vote of l02, 1856 for
it to $50. l69 against the ma
iority against being 147. .2S4, al
most $4,000 more than the total
= vote for the proposed new consti-
tuition.
Another constitutional conven-
tion would cost not less than a
quarter of million dollars, and
: could easily be run up to half
, million; with chances more than
, even that the clash of numerous
interests sure to develop would
bring about the same result as the
attempted revision of 1878 1t is
for the voters themselves to decide
whether they want to take the
chances.