Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-01-13

ibis proposal ID NOT lnJ0uO0O ohVuVT
To add to or take from the present
constitution as now in force. but
simply to put 1t in convenient and
disable form.
The existing constitution Of YER
mont was established July ., 1893. It
has been amended Ave different times
in 1928, 1895, 1880. 1870 and 1883.
These amendments cover twenty
eight articles, some of them contain
ing more than one section.
Article Is Of the amendments pro-
vides that such parts and provisions
only Of the constitution as are altered
or superseded by any Of the first
twelve articles Of amendment or are
repugnant thereto shall thereafter
cease to have effect. Although un-
expressed, such is also the effect Of
all later amendments. The amend
menAs have never been written into
the constitution; but the constitution
entire and the amendments entire are
printed together and what has been
altered or superseded by any Of the
amendments or is repugnant thereto
remains entirely matter OF interpre-
tation, except the 43rd section speci-
fically abrogated by Amendment
Article Is, Section 4.
OF the fortythree sections Of Chap
ter 9. fourteen have been amended
one or more times. and Of the twenty
eight articles Of amendment six also
have been amended. There are
twenty sections or articles. there
fore, which no longer stand as they
read.
Section 9 is an extreme example OF
the extent to which these changes.
unexpressed in the text itself. have
gone This section relates to the
powers Of the house Of representatives
and is still printed in the constitution
as originally adopted.
/. 1t provides that they shall meet
the second Thursday Of October. The
date now is the first Wednesday Of
October. (Amend Art. 24.)
2. It provides that they shall he
styled the general assembly. Tho
correct name is the house OF repre-
sentatves. (Amend. Art. b.
3. It provides that they shall have
power to choose a secretary OF state
Amendment Art 10 provides that thi.
officer shall be chosen by the joint as.
sembly. and Amendment Art 2s pro-
vides that he shall be elected BY this
people
4. IL gives the house authority to
sit on their own adjournment. Amend
ment Art. limits their right TO ad-
iourn without the consent of the SEN
ate to not more than three days.
s. II provides that they may an
nually elect certain officers. That IS
now biennially. (Amend. Art. "a and
26.)
6. 1t provides that they shall elect
these officers in conjunction with the
council. That is now in conjunction
, with the senate In Joint as sembly
fAmend. Art 1O.)
I. IT provides that they may elect
sheriffs. These officers must be elect
ed by the people. (Amend. Art. Is }
8. 1t provides that they may elect
judges Of probate. These officers
must be elected by the people.
(Amend. Art. ~
9. 1t provides that they may elect
Justices of the peace. These officers
are elected by the people. amend
Art. 49,
10. 1t provides that they may elect
judges Of the county court. The as.
sistant judges OF the county courts
must be elected by the people.
Amend Art. 49,
IL. 1t provides in one part OF the
section that they may prepare bills
and enact them into laws, in anoth-
err that they may grant charters and
In still another that they shall have
all other powers necessary for the
legislature of free and sovereign
state. They now can do these things
and have legislative powers only In
concurrence with the senate.
(Amend. Art. 81
The result Is that If one turns to
the house Of representatives are he
will find that 1t states them incor-
rectly In at least eleven particulars
nor can he ascertain what the true
sense Of Section Q at present is until
he has carefully studied the same In
connection with ten different amend
ments. The courts and the bar can OF
course determine what the constitu-
tional provision on a given point may
he, although some provisions by this
system OF amendments have been left
OBSCURE out to the average layman
Chapter 2 OF the constitution and Its
amendments abound in incOnsisten-
cies, and In parts are unintelligible
to those who are not trained In de-
termining whether one provision tech.
nically supersedes another or is re.
pugnant thereto.
| The fundamental law OF the state
which ought to be the simplest auc
most easily understood Of all, has BY
the process of years become the mos
complicated. As a handbook for stu
dents, and surely an acquaintance
with the constitution OF our state
ought to be part OF the education o.
at least every high school student, Il
Is most unsatisfactory.
In the last nifty years We have beer
compelled to rewrite our public stat
utes four times, In 1862. 1880. 1885,
| and 1906 simDly for the DuPnose m