St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1909-12-29
This paper is entitled to a place on the
Printers Ink Roll of Honor.
THE CALIFORNIAN co.
Constitutional Changes.

As is generally known an opportunit,
will come before the next Senate to pro
pose changes to the constitution of tn
state of Vermont. The matter has beef
given some attention in the state press
and the Governor of Vermont acting
under resolution passed by the las
legislature has appointed a commission
to investigate the subject and report
recommendations This commission has
been at work and it is expected will
make its report public sometime in Janu.
airy. 1t would seem wise therefore to
postpone general discussion of the mat
ter until the report is received.
The Groton Times in its last issue
seems to think that any change beyond
the removing the time lock should be
discountenanced. We can hardly agree
with its position. Under present cond-
lions the method of change is as
follows:- Once in ten years the senate
may by a two-thirds vote of its members,
make proposals of amendment to the
constitution which proposals of amend
ment, if concurred in by a majority of
the members of the house of representa-
tives. shall be entered on the journals of
the two houses. and referred to the Cen
eral Assembly then next to be chosen.
and published in the principal news
papers in the State; and if majority Of
the members of the senate and house of
representatives of the next following
General Assembly shall concur in the
same proposals of amendment, or any
part of them, it shall be the duty of the
General Assembly to submit the propo-
sails OF amendment so concurred in to a
direct vote of the freemen of the State;
and such of said proposals of amend
ment as shall receive majority of the
votes of the freemen voting thereon
shall become part of the constitution
of this State
No one would countenance any sudden
or frequent changes in the fundamental
law Of the state but it would seem wise
to remove the ten year time lock so at
any biennial session of the legislature
changes may be proposed subject to
present restrictions and at the end of
three years become effective
One other change that should receive
careful attention is giving the governor
a real veto power. Further he should be
given the same power as the governor
OF New York to veto parts of a bill
without vetoing the whole bill. With
this power the governor of New York has
been able to strike out certain appropri-
atoms in bill without DESTROYING the
general purpose of the bill At the last
session of the New York legislature Gov.
Hughes struck out appropriations that
saved the state an immense amount of
money and at the same time did not OBJ
struct worthy undertakings the state
was engaged in. A candidate for govern
or in Vermont today must stand for GER
tain legislative reforms. He must pro-
Use to do all he can to secure the enact
ment of laws to accomplish these reforms
but after election he has no power to re-
deem his promises So under present
conditions no party or organization can
go before the people on an issue and give
assurance its platform will be carried in
to effect. This has done much to discred-
it parties that were honest in their pur-
pose. 1t has also hindered some progress
sive legislation that was really needed.
Discussions of other matters will be de-
terred until the report of the commission
is received but no harm can come from
serious consideration of these subjects
from now until the legislature meets.
One other thing that would be desirable
would be some plan by which the main
facts of the commissions report could be
published in every newspaper in the state
of Vermont. This would give the public
an opportunity to form an intelligent
opinion upon an important issue.