Imperial Valley press., 1910-10-29
CATCHING ORGANIC LAW
Constitutional Amendments and Bond
 Acts Referred to the People.


 and four amendments and additions to the political code are submitted to the voters of California for approval or rejection at the general election on November 8, and it is safe to say that a large proportion of the voters do not know whether or not the meas and advisable or not.
 Constitutional amendment No. 1 provides for the separation of state from local taxation, which may be, and probably is, a wise policy 1t was rejected at the last election be- cause 1t was defective in many re- spects, and the last legislature tried to tinker it into acceptable shape In it's first form it would have worked hardship on some counties, Imperial for one, by depriving them of revenue from taxation of railroads for school purposes. As revised, it provides that such counties shall be reimbursed by the state for net losses so sustained.
 But the amendment is still open to several objections. It fixes the rate of taxation of corporations and it is admitted that the rate on insurance companies was made lower than it should be because of the active efforts of the insurance lobby at Sacramento. The rHte on banks also is apologised for oH the ground that proper rate woriV have been opposed by the banks and Vt was deemed expedient to ''placate' the bankers. That policy might be excusable in the construction of legislative acts that can be amended readily or repealed if found defective, but the "cut and try" method is not properly applicable to the constitution.
 Also it is provided that the rates of taxation fixed by the amendment may be changed by the legislature. Per haps the courts would hold that the constitution may be amended by mere act of the legislature and then again perhaps they would not.
 When amendment No 1 is perfected and submitted in form not requiring apologies and excuses, it may be in order for the people of the state to adopt it and reform the system of taxation.
 The second amendment on the list, No. IT, abolishes assessment of mort gages. The arguments in favor of it's adoption are precisely the same as thOoC LII SCo d6dAnoI Ju0 dILlClc DIO- viding for mortgage assessment when the constitution was constructed by Sandlot statesmen. The scheme has worked out just as was predicted. It is~not good and it should be. abolished. Amendment No. II, we think, should be, approved.
 The third on the list, amendment No. 36, is designed to facilitate busi- ness <R> superior courts. No discerni- bleAreason why it should not be ad&bted
 Amendment No. 3S is designed to stop frivolous movements for the di- vision of. counties and is nanifestly proper and desirable.
 Amendment No. A proposes to i'm prove the banking laws of the state and seems to be free from objection able features.
 Amendment No. B provides $5,000,- 900 for the Panama exposition in San Francisco. Up to the taxpayers. They may get the money back out of the profits of the show.
 Amendment No. IA reserves to the people the right to go fishing in waters stocked by the state. Stops posting" of streams by corporations and selfish individuals. Good thing.
 Amendment No. 33 permits San Francisco to issue bonds for the Pan anna exposition. No objection. Pure ly local to San Francisco but requires approval by electors of the state.
 Senate bill No. 4S5 provides for State bonds for the improvement of San Francisco harbor, the bonds to be redeemed out of the revenues of Sthe harbor
 Senate bills 227 and 464 are of similar character, providing for loans forA N;bor Improvements, to be re- paN f of harbor revenues These bil ] local to San Francisco and Sai jgo, and will be disposed of by the voters of these cities.
 Assembly bill No. 990 provides for an issue of $18,000,000 in State bonds for a system of highways. The act seems to be faulty and not likely to accomplish the desired end in the most practicable and economical way. Better turn it down and let the legis- lature try again.
 It would require eight pages of this newspaper, set in small type, to con- tain the amendments and bills sub mitted to popular vote and to give a concise explanation of their operation, and yet voters are expected to go into the booths and pass intelligently upon them in few minutes. The fundamental fault is that the con- stitution of California is an attempt to legislate on every conceivable sub feet, and deals with details of gov ernment that should be left to the legislature. The people can't go fish ing until they amend the constitution.
 What California needs is new con- stitution that shall be only the or ganic law and shall establish no more than basic principles of govern menNN