The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-06-03

ing exclusively for state purposes can
do SO without compensation first be-
Ing assessed and rendered. The new
constitution provides that this may be
done only in the case Of necessity.
Relative to the suffrage question,
an inherent mistake is made by many
well-meaning people who approach II
upon the theory that suffrage is an in
alienable right of mankind. This Is
not true Men and women are en-
titled to life. to liberty. and to the pur-
suit OF happiness, but they are not en-
titled, inherently to the right to vote.
Suffrage is granted to that class of cit
liens which It is deemed will use that
right most wisely for all. There is no
particular reason why twenty-one
years should be designated as the age
when male should begin voting save
that the common Judgment of man.
kind Is that the average man reaches
his maturity then. There is no par
ticular reason why a man should hold
a certain term of residence before vot-
ing save that ii is deemed wise for
him thus TO reside in order to proper
ly acquaint himself with political and
social conditions. The constitution OF
1916 required every person to be cit
izen Of the United States before he
could vote, Our present constitution
permits a foreigner who has been in
America one year and declared his In
tention to become citizen OF the
United States to vote, provided he
possesses the residential qualifica-
tons. This change from the constitu-
ton Of 1916 to the constitution OF 1851
was made for the purpose of attract
ing immigrants to the state of Indi.
ana. II Is common knowledge. based
not upon theory but upon actual ex-
perience. that the unrestrained grant
ing Of the right of franchise to man
kind at large has proven to be one of
the dangerous experiments in govern
ment. Conditions in Indiana have
changed since 1851, and there has
come into the state vast number of
foreigners, mere wayfarers, who, with
the aid of skillful political manipula-
tors, have defiled the purity Of the bal
lOl duu nave UcCOHlc a IucAdCc u our
civilization. l have the greatest re-
spect for the foreigner who comes to
Indiana and wants to be one among
us, but II the high school boy and the
intelligent woman cannot vote, think
we should require him to become 4
citizen OF the United States before
voting.
Reorganization Of Legislature.
"The new constitution provides that
every voter must live twelve months
in Indiana. must be citizen of the
United States of twenty-one years or
upward. must have the township and
precinct residential qualifications and
must have paid his poll tax for the
current year and the preceding year
without delinquency. 1t also provides
that after Nov. 1, 1913, there shall be
registration and that thereafter there
shall be admitted to registration no
person who cannot read any section OF
the constitution of the United States
in English or some other known
tongue.
Under the new constitution the
senate will be composed of the same
number Of members as now and elect
ed in the same way. The house Of
representatives shall never exceed 100
members. Each county Is to have one
representative, first. because each
county deserves one, and. secondly, to
prevent the shameless gerrymander-
ing OF the state, which has been done
by both parties when in power. The
surplus representation is to be deter
mined by dividing the total population
of the state as given by the national
census by ninety-two and by giving
each county an additional representa-
tive for each full quota and fractional
surplus of a half-quota. This will also
save the expense of enumerations. The
new constitution provides that the
sessions shall extend not exceeding 100
days and that the governor may at
any time by proclamation call a spe-
cial session for specific purpose or
for specific purposes. but for limit
time not to exceed thirty days. There
can be no local or special laws, as tho
constitution now provides, save spe-
cial charters for different cities.
1.-THE new document requires q
three-ffths vote Of the members elect
ed to each house rather than a bare
majority to pass q measure over the
veto; and it provides that the COVER
nor may veto any individual item or
items in an appropriation bill while
approving the bill as a whole. State
and county officials. except judges, are
all given four years tenure Of Office
and no person except judge is eligi
BILE to more than four years in any
period Of eight. This eliminates the
playing OF politics for reelection and
enables the officer to devote his time
exclusively to the duties OF his office
l know no reason why the clerk, au
ditor and recorder should be elected
for four years and the sheriff. coroner
and surveyor for two.
Great confusion has arisen from
our judicial decisions, and spirit Of
envy and discomfort is traceable Il
the existence OF both supreme and
an appellate court. These courts now
consist of eleven judges The new