Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1911-05-04

OlR CONSTITUTION EASY To
AMEND COMPARED Wrru
THOSE az OTHER ~ WIS

~ SfutsUbnU ''Nf tlltttu Ffn-
son which these gentlemen give foi
opposing tn, constitution lately adopt.
ed by the people of this territory Is
that II IN difficult OF amendment n
" very noticeable. however. that. In
their speeches and arguments they
refrain from comparing II with tn
constitutions of other states. They
du not say that II ~ more difficult To-
amend than organic laws generally
They do not TAX, the people into their
confidence and tell them what other
states have thought Wiso in this con
ncction. II might bo wen to place
before the people of New Mexico the
facts IN regard IT, the provisions mad,
FOR the amendment of the various
constitutions and w., them make the
comparison
To submit an amendment tu tn"
NV Mexico constitution requires two
thirds Of all of the members elected
To- each branch of the legislature, volt
ing separately, provided however thht
at the first regular session held after
| the expiration at tWo wears from IN"
time tho constitution goes into effect.
and each cight years Thereafter ~ ma
! jurity may submit amendments frr-
posed amendments must be ratified
\ by a majority of the electors voting
thereon provided that the affirmative
Noi, be- equal to 90 per ccntum of all
votes east at the election and in az
least onc-hali at the counties.
This provision II not more stringent
than that of a large number of the
states and b. much less So than that
q
ZION ~ much easter of amendment
| than that Of oklahoma. the hurr ut
| senator owen. distinguished fur his
opposition To- the admission "i this
state III, provision Of that state re-
duir,s that TIE proposed amendment
/ shall bee approved. not 10y 80 per cent
! of al. electors. bat hN u majority OF
Ian oi those voting at the election.
The difnculty of amending such n
constitution lies IN the fact that ~ is
| nearly Impossible t. get a majority
Of the voters sufficiently Interested IN
even a good amendment To take the
| trouble to vote for n. II Is true that
| Oklahoma has once succeeded IN
adopting AN amendment disfranchis-
ing "a, ncgrocs but this was accuin-
plished los IA, logislatur, having
printed ON the hrlults the words "wni
| the Amdrum,nt. so that any one
who was opposed 10 the amendment
must not only writ, 10 the words
AGAINST thr Amendment hut erase
the other printed words. Every care
less voter thus voted Tor tn" proposed
amendment
There ar. u larg" number ui states
3 that require u majority OF all thu
; votes cast Among them are the fol-
4 lowing Alabama. Arkansas. iiinois.
Louisiana Mar land Minnesota. Mis-
sissippi. Nebraska. Onto. Tennessee.
Texas and oklahoma, while Rhode
Island requires the ratification by
throc-fitths of the electors.
So far ~ the submission of an,nd-
monls ARE concerned pra, ticallN all
at the states have moro stringent re-
quircmonts than the proposed consii-
tuition ot New Mexico. oar provision
enables every fourth legislature &"
submit by a minority vote oi both
houses aud "a tNu-thirds vote at other
times Tho following states require
Ia tNc-third4 vote al thu time Ala-
hRmu. Colorado. Illinois. Kansas. Lou.
isiana. Montana Michigan, MissiSsip-
pi. Nurth Carolina. Texas, Utah. West
Virginia. Wyoming and Washington.
while Maryland Nebraska md OHIO
Require thrce-nihs OF both houses.
lui the provisions uf THESE states are
mild compared with some 'alfor-
mia requires a majority oI tNo sue
,ccssiNc legislatures To- submit pro-
posed amendment. az does indiana,
Iowa. Nevada. N,W Jersey. Sew York.
oregon popnsNlvauia Virginia ana
Wisconsin. la othrf words. after u
has PASSED on, Legislature the fact
must he entered ON thu journal. then
be taken up ana PASSED Dos the next
lcgislatur, before the peopl, have the
right To- vote un H. Others ar, still
more strict. For instance. Dclawar'
rcqdircs that 40" first legislature small
pass the resolution hy two-ihirds
vote aud that after the people have
ratified II hc approved bY a three
fouris vote uf N, legislature next ~
session Florida and Georgia require
- two-,hirdS vote uf two successive
legislatures before submission south
Carolina requires ;Wo-thirds vote f"i
submission and tw,~thirds vote uf the
Legislature after " has been approved
by the people. Tennessee requires
that the firsi Legislature pass the res"-
luton by majority and the second
legislature by two-thirds vote before
being submitted to the electorate
ANY one who will study the proVt-
4iuns for the amendment of the dit
f"rcnt constitutions wiz lind that on
the whole the proposed constitution
i"f New Mexico h easter of amend
mont than that of any of the other
states except perhaps Missouri. l:
viii be found that whore one instru-
mont requires n m0r, majority oi
thos. electors voting on the PROPOSE
ton u VIII b. usually offset bN q
more stringent requirement IN regard
Ia submission. Also wher. suhmig-
sion ~ easy there Is usually a require
mont for majority of all the vote
cast at the election. THIS Is found IN
such states as Arkansas MARY land
Minnesota. Nchraska aud ohiu.
Ey making u research any one vii
soon convince himself tina, instead al
the proposed constitution being diffi'
cult of amendment II Is actually on'
Of a half dozen easy of revision. II u
-. l.N lN.HsN