Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1910-11-21
LAST HOUR
CHANGES MADE.
Constitution Is to Be More
Easily Amended Than
First Proposed
PROPER SAFEGUARDS ADOPTED
Closing Session of Convention Is
to Be Held This
Evening.

was called to OF Ter at II a. m. by
President Charles A. Spiess. Chap
lain julius A. Hartman offered a fer
vent and beautiful prayer, which is
printed in another column. A recess
was then taken to permit the Repub-
licans to hold another conference for
discussion of the last propositions to
be included in the constitution. The
conference was an animated one and
stretched out considerabl beyond the
80 minutes allotted to it,
Republican Conference.
Though this is the last day of the
constitutional convention, important
additions and changes were made in
the document as formulated, in two
particulars. 1t is to be made more
easily amendable than it was deemed
advisable at first, thus taking to heart
the advice of eX-President Roosevelt
Instead of two-thirds majority of
each house being required, it will be
only a majority that will be needed to
submit a constitutional amendment to
the people but no amendments are to
be proposed at the first legisla-
ture. An anti-pass amendment
was also tackled to the fundamental
law, so that the anti-pass provisions
will apply to several state officials.
At least this is what was decided
at the session of the Republi-
can conference which did not adjourn
until 1 o'clock this afternoon and that
was about the liveliest, although, per.
haps, the last, to be held.
Saturdays Sessions.
Similarly on Saturday afternoon, the
convention like the French general
of old marched up the hill and then
marched down again" While the re-
port of the Committee on Revision on
Corporations was up for final action,
A. H. Hudspeth offered an amend
ment, giving the legislature unlimited
powers to amplify the provisions of
the article. A vehement debate re-
suited. In the place of the Hudspeth
amendment, new section offered by
A. B. Fall was adopted. 1t provided
that the legislature may further spe-
city the duties and powers of the Com
mission on Corporations but within
the limits prescribed by the article
During the evening recess, change
of mind took place and with the con-
sent of Fall, this new section was re-
considered and stricken out. During
the debate, masterful argument and
defense of the article on Corporations
other than Municipal, was made by
H. o. Bursum.
At the evening session, too, the
convention found itself in a snarl over
the revision of the article on Educa-
ton, which finally resulted in striking
out, upon motion of A. B. Fall, OF
the section limiting the change of
school text books to five year inter.
walls, the law already providing for
this. 1t was after midnight, when the
convention adjourned on Saturday,
leaving for the Monday sessions the
disposition of the article on Appor-
tionment which was changed at the
last minute to conform with the de-
mands of Mora and Guadalupe coun-
ties, and the article on Miscellaneous
Provisions, which was up in the Re-
publican conference last evening
which did not adjourn until 2 o'clock
this morning.
Afternoon Session.
Among the last hour compromises
to be decided on this afternoon is a
proposition to reserve 10000 acres of
the 100000 acres of lieu lands to be
still selected, for a normal school to
be located in eastern New Mexico by
future legislature. This with the
constitution may be proposed by a
majority of the legislature after the
first state legislature, and may be rat
flied by a majority of the people pro-
vided that majority amounts to 40 per
cent of the vote cast at the previous
general election, will go far toward
securing hearty approval of the
constitution by the Democratic voters
who have been holding off thus far
with their verdict Under it, three
amendments to the constitution may
be proposed every eight years and a
constitutional convention may be held
in twenty years to revise the consti-
tuition or adopt new one. It is lib
eral concession to the demands of the
progressives and one that will ap-
peal to all of the people.
1t was 3:15 p. M, when the con-
vention was called to order. A reso-
luton was introduced by Malaquias
Martinez, designating J. D. Sena to
translate Immediately into Spanish the
constitution and journal, =, the
compensation to be $3.50; also
allowing $40 to each of five
employees in the office or Territorial
Secretary Nathan Jaffa for extra work
performed on account of the conven-
ton; also that three members of the
convention remain four days to COM
plete the journal and that the president
of the convention designate stem
ographer to assist the territorial Sec
retary. The resolution carried by SO
votes.
The president designated G. A.
Richardson, Atanasio Roibal and Jose