The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-12-20

entire nonchalance the Vermont Sen |
ate, or certain members of II, regard !
party pledges, sOlemnly made at last
summers state convention, reiterated |
at the several county conventions,
which nominated these same senators
and on the assurance of the faithful
performance OF which the party went
before the voters and besought their
support last September. In more
than one instance the present senate
has disregarded or squarely disobey-
ed the promises of that platform,
when the matter involved came up.
II was so with the ten-dOllar wage ex-
emption, where a substitute that does
not fill the bill is offered. Again,
was il so last weak, when, the amend
ments proposed to the state consti-
tuition being up, ten senators voted
against submitting the one removing
the time lock, and as a two-thirds
vote was necessary to carry 1t
through and several senators were
absent, this was sufficient to defeat
the amendment at the outset. We
were panied to note among the dis
senting ten several good friends of
ours whose action we cannot under
stand in this case, cannot excuse and
cannot overlook.
These constitutional amendments.
let it be observed. were no snap pro-
positions sprung offhand at the legls-
lature without popular endorsement.
Under the present constitution amend
ments to that organic law can only
1, In With
the approach of this one OF the ten
year periods the assembly of two
years ago authorized the appointment
of a commission to consider and
| frame such changes as time and eX-
perience seemed to warrant. This
! commission, composed of able men,
made an exhaustive study of the ques-
ton, met several times and early this
year reported. In order that there
might be the fullest opportunity for
the people to give thought to this inn
portant matter, in advance of action,
/ the proposals of this commission were
| printed and sent broadcast over the
state. This was long prior to the par
| ~ conventions this year. Before the
! Republican convention sat, in order
| that there might be the fullest I'M
derstanding of the probable action of
| the party on the chief issues and that
nobody was committed by stealth
| tentative platform was published. In
| this forecast there was the squarest
! kind of an endorsement of the yari-
Gus amendments prepared by this
commission The platform commit
tee sat the night before the conyen-
| ton to hear suggestions or objections
to any of the proposed planks. Sew
eral OF them were remodelled or var
! led at that time In response TO man
| fest demand. But not one word was
urged then against any of the propos-
ais of constitutional amendment. Not
one word was spoken against them
next day on the floor of the conven-
| ton. Not one voice was recorded
against the platform pledge as unan-
imously adopted, after such fair
and open manner as here described,
was as follows
While the organic law of the state
should not be lightly varied, but
above all statutes should be stable
and certain, we are convinced that
the time has come when hands should
be reyerently laid upon the consttu-
ton OF Vermont and certain changes
made in its provisions, that they may
more clearly define our political lib
critics and the obligations they entail
upon us. We, therefore, commend
to the general assembly of 1910 the
report Of the commission created by
authority Of the general assembly OF
1905 to propose amendments TO the
constitution of Vermont and endorse
and approve It's several recommen.
dations for amendments. We cannot
too earnestly urge upon the people OF
this state and their representatives In
the legislature our unqualified belief
that the amendment of the constitu
ton in these particulars Is the most
grave and responsible duty that is
likely to confront the lawmakers at
the coming session and one that is
on no account 30 be put aside"
And in face of that, a sufficient
number OF Republican senators last
week voted against submitting the
most important amendment OF all.
and by virtue OF the unusual power
vested in this case in small minor,
ity defeated 1t for good and ALL until
another ten years rolls around.
Let IL be noted that the Vermont
Senate in acting thus, went out of It's
way to break the party pledge II
was not voting on the question of &C
cepting or rejecting the amendment
In question. The merits of the pro
posed change we're not properly NJ
for consideration. The Senate mere,
ly voted on whether II would take the
initial step and let the people act two
years hence at the polls and through
their then assembly. II was simply
opening the door to a possible change
"a change unquestionahly favored
by very large majority Of the PEG
pie OF Vermont as every indication 10
date establishes-even the vote in
the Senate itself The argument by
senators who opposed was that II
would be unsafe, as II is unnecessary
TO leave the way open for amend
ments TO the state constitution every
two years and that once In ten years
Is often enough Such an argument
let us admit, Is plausible, II not rea
sonable, in spite of the fact that nc
other state In the union and no other
government on earth has such a pc
culiar, unprogressive, lettering and
absurd provision. But the time ant
place to consider this matter. alonl