Norwich bulletin., 1910-12-03
Revolutionary obstructionists.

It has been stated in these columns and is commonly understood that the legislatures of some 29 states, or near ly two thirds of the whole number, in recent years, asking that a conven- l tion be called to submit an amend ment for the popular election of Unit 1 ed States senator's In that case only 1 two more states would need to act in the same way to compel the calling of such convention.
 l Certain persons, however, interested l in this movement and having an eye 1 on the coming conference of govern ] DTS al Frankfort, Ky, November 29 to l December 29 have been at the pains
 l of examining the records. They an- | nounce the hndins that while 29 state l legislatures have passed such resOlu- l tiOns, no less than F of these lack the l form Of an application to congress and would not probably be considered of l binding effect by the United States | senate, which is the block in the way l of this reform. Four other resolu- 1 tions of application were apparently never filed with congress. It is the | purpose of these interested ones to have the matter brought before the l governors at the Frankfort conference | in the idea that some common form of l application be drawn uD and that the 1 governors shall use their influence l each in his own state, to have such a | IGSOIuIlOn dOODLSC. InSIe Will De ICE =
 1 islative sessions in no less than 42 1 states next year.
 1 This action may well be taken, i whatever the situation is in respect ! to applications already made to con- gresS But meantime those members of the United States senate who have i been barring the way to the sub1nis- ! sion Of an amendment in the order 1 hitherto followed should promptly re- consider their position It is becom- i! ing indefensible to the last degree. ] They must know by this time that at | least a majority of the states want this change. It is becoming evident that very great majority of them 1 want it. Many of them have alreAcy | taken measures in a lawful way to 1 secure in a more or less Iinping man { ner what the federal constitution in 1 effect does not allow. Other states are one by one adopting the same course. l The framers of the federal consti- | tuition had no intention of placing the | American nation under their hand 1 long after they were dead and against 1 the settled will of the people of that
 nation in future years. They proyid- 1 ed ways of amendment, and the one i way hitherto followed has been block | ed by these senatorial obstructlon1st US | in their own selfish interests. It has i been blocked right in the face of the l most conclusive evidence that great
 i majority of the states and the peo-
 1 pie want the change. And those in
 1 official position who thus prevent a
 ! change in the constitution i'll @ consti- 1 tutional manner are no better than 1 violent revolutionists.
 1 It would be well for the national 1 house at the coming short session to 1 send to the senate again, as several ] times heretofore. a resolutino submit l ting sue han amendment to the state 1 legislatures. Give these revolutionary i oostructionists, in other words one 1 more chance to receGe from their ex- I traordinary position. Then, if there { is again a failure to bulge, the move
 ment to compel convention can be i completed. If not in one way then 1 in the other will this change in the l constitution be brought about. It is
 l for the senate to say whether or not l the amendment shall be submitted di- l rectiy or through the untried method
 1 of a convention. which may open the 1 door to all sorts of other constitution al changes of less maturity than | this one.-Springheld Republican.