The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1909-03-12

capital there is Ito be lively doings
In connection with 1t. 1t would
be rather premature to take a
guess as to the final outcome. The
Democratic whip has not yet been
heard to swish through the air OF
the legislative halls. It may be
used to line up the recalcitrs nts
before they have a chance to vote
on submission. Charley Stokes,
who is the leader of the prohibit
ton party in the State and son-in-
law to the w. G. T. U. of which
his wife is president, is here to aid
his brilliant life partner in the
battle, and he says that the legis-
lature will certainly vote to sub
NIT the prohibition question in
the general election in 1910, but he
adds that if the mem bers of this
General Assembly have not the
wisdom to do that the prohibition
lists will use the new referendum
amendment to the constitution
and bring on q vote without the
Intervention of the legislature. So
there you are. To the anti-prohi-
bition law makers, it looks like
there is a hot fire on either side of
the fence on which they fain
would take Judgement. They are
to be damned if they do and
damned if they don't.
But do not forget that the aver
age Missouri Legislator has con-
victions and plans of his own.
There is proposition to provide
for calling a constitutional con-
vention. That proposition is just
now taking definate and good
shape and it may be that it will De
carried to success before the
proposition to submit any amend
ment to the present constitution
can be determined. There are
about ten resolutions pending for
submission of amendments to the
constitution, one of them provid-
ing for bonded debt of $4,000, 900
for new capital. Another pro-
vides for supreme court with
sixteen members and the abolition
of the two courts of appeals.
These are big propositions. Ii
these propositions as well as pro-
hibition are submitted at the
same election there will be lively
amendment campaign. Prohibit
tion may be overshadowed by the
other propositions. These are not
the only amendments proposed,
however. If all of the resolution
amendments now pending are to
be put on the ballot in 1910 the
voters will not know whether they
are reading a ballot or a law book.
The situation is becoming so COM
plicated that the constitutional
convention proposition begins to
loom up very largely. Governor
Hadley favors it earnestly, not be.
cause it may sidetrack some other
proposition, but because it is in
his judgement necessity for the
future prosperity of the state. He
is not disposed to sidetrack OF
evade any issue, which may be
presented during his administra
ton but to face all issues fairly ant
frankly and he will do that; bu
he saw, long before the legisla
ture met, that there would be i;
number of big propositions fol
submission to vote-for amend.
ing the present constitution-ant
he said then and kept on saying
that q. new constitution is to b,
preferred to further patches on th'
old one-preferred, in any even
to the present constitution, whicl
has been patched and patched til
it looks like that part of poo
mans trousers, which strikes tn,
chair first. He is for q new con
stitution but he has not announce,
: antagonism to any proposes
amendment now before the legis
| lature. The Governor has nothin
officially to do in connection wit
+ a constitutional amendmen,
Amendments are submitted b.
Joint resolution of the House an
Senate without the signature Q
the Governor and independant G
his authority.
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