Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-10-15
DEMOS LOOK AHEAD.
GEE BIG CAMPAIGN ISSUE RE.
suLTlNe FROM coNsrlru.
rloNAL CONVENTION.
EXPECT INCOME AMENDMENT
WILL BE TURNED DOWN
Bryan as Senator From Nebraska Will
Get Into the Game and Political Cap
ital Will 30 Manufaetursd-spscula-
ton 40 to Action Of Convention,
When Once Called.
Especial Correspondence

When once Vali0os
Especial Correspondence
Washington, Oct. IL. One Of the
biggest pieces Of business that any
congress has ever had to determine,
will require the attention of that body
at the coming session.
For congress will be called upon ito
decide whether convention OF the
states shall be permitted. as directed
by the constitution, looking to the re-
vision Of that venerable instrument.
When two thirds of the states pc
titfon congress for such a convention,
congress Is commanded by the consti-
tuition to call it. and to make laws for
it's organization, selection, and COM
pensation.
Thirty-one states constitute two
thirds Of the union; and Just thirty are
now on record as having passed, thru
their legislatures, the necessary reso-
lutions asking for such a convention.
Whenever one more state shall have
added its resolution, the matter will be,
in q mandatory fashion, before con-
gress. There Is considered almost no
doubt that more than one additional
state will join the column this winter,
because the income-tax amendment to
the constitution is attracting general
attention to the matter OF constitutions
al amendment, and while ratification Of
the income tax amendment does not in
volve adoption Of the demand for a
convention OF states, yet it does bring
the general subject to the front.
Chance for Dispute.
Congress will have a long line of
delicate questions to answer when 1t
confronts the petitions of thirty one
states for q convention. There has
never been a convention Of the states.
Many of the states which have
passed these resolutions asking a.
convention, have asked it for the pur-
pose Of amendment to effect popular
election of senators; others have placed
no limitations upon it. The first ques-
lion Is whether this convention, once
IN existence and organized, can be re-
Stricted to the least range of enterprise
that any state may have defined? If
twenty states asked for convention
TO consider senatorial elections, and
asked convention to consider in
come taxation, would congress still
be required to take the preliminary
steps and provide the preliminary leg
is lation? And II so, could the
convention take UP all the questions
specified in the states resolutions, and
as many others as 1t chose
These questions have never been an
swered IN experience. The strong ele-
ment in congress which would oppose
to the bitter end any effort to secure a.
convention, would undoubtedly urge
that there must be absolute uniformity
in the demands, and that the conyen-
ton be restricted absolutely to speci-
fled subjects. In this view, it would be-
almost impossible ever to get conven-
ton save for the general purpose of re-
vision; and in that case the mandate
would be as broad as the whole con-
stitution.
Law Unto Itself?
Constitutional essayists have in gen.
eral held the opinion that constitu-
tional convention, once called and or
sanized, Is law unto ITSELF. No mat
ter how restricted the range of the de-
mand for its election, the convention
once in existence can do anything 1t
pleases. Its work, of course, must be
must be ratified by three-fourths Of
them.
And this leads to another inquiry. If
the convention decides to submit ten
amendments to the states, must all ten
ha voted nnon II, Urncc h1,h ho eto+oe an
can they be voted up or down sep
arately? On this point there is preced-
emit in favor of voting on them sep
arately, SO that part may be rejected
and part sustained. This was the
method when the first seKies of amend
ments were submitted by the first con-
gress. Some of them were acted upon
and took effect long before the fate of
others had been decided.
Conservative statesmen are generally
fearful of constitutional convention,
lest it should be. radical, and should
fundamentally reorganize the constitu-
ton. From these will come strong OPP
position il the matter becomes acute,
as it Is expected to do inside the next
year. The men who favor certain
amendments, however, and who would
like to see convention, urge that there
Is small danger of much radicalism,
simply because the work of a radical
convention would be certain of rejec-
ton by the states; hence the prob
ability that the leadership would be es-
seDtially conservative, on the theory
that few reforms would be better
than complete fizzle.
Bryan In Its Favor.
Mr.. Bryan, who has long been in
terested in the effort to secure an
amendment for popular election of SEN
6tors. Is said to have designs of maxi
ing constitutional amendment spe-
cialty If he becomes member of the
senate from Nebraska. If he should be
elected next year, he would be in time
to have q part in the big contest over
the matter; for nobody believes that
the coming session, with the conserva-
lives completely In control in both
houses. will make affirmative response
30 any demand for a convention. Ratll-
Or, it Is expected that technical reasons
Z would be raised which would keep the
necessary legislation In committee, and
It would require the promotion Of a
great popular movement, perhaps aris-
ms to the dignity OF national issue
Of the first class to force the matter
out Of congress.
The imminence of a national conven-
ton is one reason for concern to oppo-
nents Of the income tax. It is now well
known that there Is going to be a de-
termined and orEaniZed fight against