The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1911-02-18

dom and statecraft to make a constftu- |
tion-to bring one complete out of his
own mind.
The proper way to handle this
question would be for the people to
hold cons t1tutional convention and
frame constitution in that way. The
delegates to this convention would be
selected for their peculiar fitness to
deal with such a momentous question
and there would be $50 men instead of
one to draft the document. OF course,
1t to admitted that there Is danger even
in this plan. for the interests would
undoubtedly seek to elect delegates to
such a convention who would frame q
constitution to suit them. 1t il likely
that constitution prepared at such
a convention would be full of jokers
and of provisions that would be in the
interest of the corporations and other
special interests. but the constitution
would then have to be put up to the
people for vote to ratify or reject it,
and the people could either adopt 1t or
vote 1t down. But the constitution
would at least have the virtue of be-
ing the product of the minds of $50
men instead of one man, as is the case
now.
But all of this is mere talk The
one-man constitution is going through.
The democrats have made 1t a caucus
, measure and they are going to support
1t and pass the bill. The only thing
left for the people to do Is to go into
II the campaign next year and vote 1t
+. down And 1 believe that i what
, they will do"
This man pointed out that one Of
| the strongest factors in next years
campaign against the new constitution
will be the temperance forces of the
state These people have for several
years been trying to reach the point
where they could get a vote Of the
people on the question of adopting an
amendment to the constitution OF the
, state to prohibit the manufacture and
sale OF intoxicating liquor in this state.
l The liquor people have been strong
: enough to defeat every effort thus far
made. And the proposed new consti-
]. tuition does not say word along that
line The temperance people feel that
. II a constitutional convention was held
: they would be strong enough to elect
l. !! a majority of the delegates who would
L be in favor of a statewide prohibition
: clause in the constitution. and then
: they would win their fight. But in this
o instance the new constitution will be
, adopted by wet legislature and sub
mitted to the people. The temperance
: forces. under the leadership of the
h anti-saloon league, already has started
its machinery to working for the de-
feat of the constitution at the election
next year. They say they will not quiz
- until the last vote is in.
So 1t looks like the campaign of 1911.
will be the hottest seen in this state IL
many years Every condition points IL
that direction.
Another thing that has caused tall
among the politicians is what effect THU
new move Will have on the chances o
Governor Marshall as presidential
possibility in 1912 or any other year
In his new constitution he fairly out
organs Bryan when it comes to radical
ism. He has put into the constitution
about everything that Bryan has eve
stood for. and has gone further in tina
I he proposes to give Indiana q new
/ constitution whether the state want
1t or not. Persons who are opposed t
Marshall as candidate for presiden
. are saying that he would not be SAT
candidate because of his radicalism.
When the bill carrying the new con
stitution comes on for consideration II
the senate and the house 1t is certai
!. it stands and that they will offer man
important amendments to it. OF cours
= none of them Will be adopted becaus
the bill has been made a party caucu
:, measure, and there are sixty demo
- Gratis and only forty republicans in tn
~ house.
81 II is expected that the bill will pas
4 the senate either today or tomorrow
:" and that it will then pass the hous
:, by Wednesday. If this plan Is carrie
u, out Governor Marshall will probabl
~ sign the bill next week. and the wor
- will be done.
20 One politician pointed out in CONVEX
sation last night that the republican
go themselves are to blame for the bring
ad ing forth of a new constitution. H
as said: The republicans could have pre-
90 last fall and voted their ticket instea
1e of voting to put the democrats In cor
10 troll of the legislature l have no dout
he but that there are many republicans
~ the state today who are sorry the
u voted the democratic ticket last fai
They defeated Senator Beveridge fc
TO reelection and they made the repes
at of the county option law a certaint.
10 but they did not realize at the tim
ne Just what else they were doing. Fee
40 of them ever thought that the demo
TX cratic legislature would ever undel
re take such thing as this. II they ha
to- they probably would have voted di
es ferently.