Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1911-10-05
HENCE THE BLUE BALLOT
Corporation Commission Should
Be Appointed and Consist
of Experts.

er number of judges and legislators IL
the future, and gave reasons, why hi
thought that the constitution ough
to be easier to amend. but some o.
which the taxpayers found good rea
sons for making the constitution lit
tie bit more stable and permanent
than ordinary legislation.
Although Mr.. Cleveland spoke as 9
progressive, he gave a body blow tc
ex-Governor Herbert J. Hagerman
when right at the start of his speech
he declared that principles and moi
merely personal prejudices, are the
more important issues in this cam
raign.
The most important question be
fore the people of New Mexico is not
the election of this man or that mar
to Office. 1t is not which party shall
succeed.
Men may come and men may go
Terms of Office will expire. A mistake
in placing an unfit man in office may
be remedied-but there is one mis-
take which the people of New Mexico
may make which, if made, cannot be
remedied.
This is in the matter of voting the
Blue Ballot"
| A constitution is "a fundamental
lew or basis of government, organic
ling and defining the different parts OF
the government, comforting on each
department the powers and duties al
loted to each and limiting the powers
of every department"
1t is "the form of government, de.
lineated by the mighty hand of the
people. 1t is the work or will of the
people themselves, in their original
sovereign and unlimited capacity"
1t is the peoples safe guard, not
against their own desires, but against
abuse of powers delegated by the peo
pie to their officers and represents
tives.
A constitution Is framed by repre-
sentatives of the people in convention
but there representatives merely rec.
ommend their work to the people. 1t
has no life, force or effect until the
voice of the people has enacted it into
law.
There is nothing of Divine inspira.
ton about constitution. Amending a
constitution is not PROCLAMATION Of
Holy Writ
Constitution Compromise.
Probably no constitution was ever
formed which was an expression of
the Judgment of all the trainers there.
|of. The constitution of the United
States was compromise in every i'm.
portant particular and the ingenious
mind of Governor Morris was taxed
to frame an attestation clause which
should voice the scruples of those who
were unwilling to append their names
to that constitution or 1t might seem
to be giving it their approval, and at
that Randolph, Mann and Gerry re-
fused to sign.
Twelve amendments were proposed
by the first congress and ten adopted.
Twelve amendments had been adopt
ed by 1903, and every state in the
Union has from time to time found it
necessary to amend its constitution.
The constitution of each state is
adopted how? BY majority vote of
the people voting thereon.
II the people are competent to
adopt a constitution by majority vote,
why are they not competent to adopt
amendments thereof by q like vote?
Under the constitution as at pres
ent provided-no change can be made
except by two-thirds vote Of the mem.
bers Of each house of the legislature
ratified by a vote Of the people at a
general election and, to carry, the
proposed amendment must receive a
majority of the votes cast on the
question and the Affirmative vote must
equal forty per cent Of the highest
vote cast at that election further
this vote must be obtained in at least
one-half Of he counties.
These provisions are not only un.
usual but the latter is unique, It is
not to be found in any other consti.
tuition.
The effect Of these requirements is
to make the constitution well nigh
lunamendable.
Why should an affirmative. vote OF
forty or any other percentage Of the
vote cast on another matter be re.
quired. Surely II I voter Is not intel
ligent enough OF; not interested enough
to vote on question, his attitude
should not be considered-yet this re.
!qnirement does give that effect and
weight to this attitude makes It in ef-
feet vote against the amendment,
As to the provision requiring the
carrying Of at least half Of the coun-
| ties.
4 This is essentially wrong, not only
because 1t viii tend to carry county
against county. but, It further tends
70 make. the amending of the consti-
tuition practically impDssibie. It may
easily happen that ii many counties
stbe interest II : questloa WIN b but