The Washington times., 1909-06-22

II is almost LoIlN years since the CtAA-
situation of the United States has been
an snded. To be accurate, the Fifteenth
Amendment was submitted TO the States
by resolution of Congress February. q
1859, and on March 80 1870, the Secre-
tary of State proclaimed that, having
been ratified by the Lesis latures Of three
fourths of the States, it was in effect.
Six states rejected it,
There are two methods of amending
the Constitution. They are set forth in
Article V OF the Constitution, which fol-
lows:
The Congress, whenever two-thirds Of
both houses shall deem IL necessary,
shall propose amendments to the Con
stitution. or, on the application of the
legislatures Of twO-thirds of the several
States, shall cali a convention for pro-
posing amendments, which, in either
case. shall be valid TO all 1tents and
purposes, as parts of this Constitution,
when ratified by the legislatures Of
three-fourths of the several states, or
conventions in thTee-fourths thereof as
the one or the other mode of ratifica-
ton may be proposed by the Congress. "
Under that provision, the Constitution
has been amended fifteen times. The
first Congress submitted the first ten
amendments. and all were ratified.
Eleventh Amendment.
The eleventh was submitted FIVE years
later Q79D, and il was almost four years
before its ratification was proclaimed
None Of the other amendments took
nearly so long a time. The eleventh is
the amendment which forbids suing a
State, in the Federal court, by citizens
OF another State or a foreign country
This amendment was necessitated by
efforts which were frequent in that time,
to enforce old Revolutionary claims
against the States. in the Federal courts
It has since been held that one State
may sue another, however
Under Article either Congress or
the States may initiate amendments.
Tw,-thirds Of the States by uniting in
demanding il through their Legisla-
lures. may require Congress to call a
convention TO propose amendments.
This is the method which will be pur-
sued If there is ever a general over
hauling of the Constitution. It has
never yet been adopted, though in re-
cent years the Legislatures of nearly
thirty States have passed resolutions
calling on Congress for the call of a
convention.
Ratified by States.
Thus far. however. all amendments
have been adopted through Congress
ional initiation and ratification by the
Legislatures. No amendment submitted
by Congress has ever been rejected.
For many years efforts have been
made rpeatedly to induce Congress to
submit an amendment 10 provide for
popular election OF Senators, but always
without success. The House has re-
peatedly passed. but the Senate has
just as often pigeOL-holed. the pro-
posaI.
Discoura ged by these failures. the ad-
VOcates of amendment turned to the
plan of calling a convention.
Governor Cummins of Iowa. now Sen
atOr. called a convention of publicists
during the early years Of his service as
chief executive Of his State. II was
held in Des Moines. being merely A
volunteer affair, with the purpose Of
calling public attention to the subject
and instituting a central organization
through which TO promote the move
ment. AS a result OF this and other &C
tivities, nearly thirty States have passed
the necessary resolutions
It is considered BY TO means impossi-
bic that by this plan convention Will
one dav be called. II would require
the calls Of thirty-one States 70 re-
quire Congress to pass the necessary
legislation providing for convention.
Congress Has Voice.
Congress would still have a large voice
in the matter It would determine the
method Of representation. which would
be OF the greatest Importance whether
all the States should have equal number
Of represen tauves. and whether they
should be chosen by the Legislatures.