The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1912-10-24
Proposed By Initiative Petition.
EIGHTH CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENT,

EIGHTH CONS y IioNAl AMEND
Providing that grand jures. in nves.
t'9a::hg elections, may open bao-
ton lists. vot'rg lists ard tally snee,s;
| providing for trials on indictments re-
turned in such Investigations prescribing
the manner Of selection and the quaiifica
| licemen to be stationed in and near
| polling places in certain cities and pre-
Scripng the manner Of voting therein.
Proposed amendment to the Constitu-
| ton of Missouri to be submitted to the
legal voters thereof, for their approval or
70 he held on Tuesday, the fifth day of
iovember "A. d. 1912, and empowering
grand jllics to investigate offenses COM
nitted in elections, TO return indictments
thereon, and providing fol the trial upon
such indictments in the courts: also pro-
riding for the manner Of conducting cleo
tons, the duties of officers and voters
with reference thereto, and The uualifica-
lions and selection Of judges and clerks
If election throughout the state and in
cities Of $4,000 Inhabitants or more.
Section |. The ballot shall remain
cret in Missouri, but where crime has
been committed in any election secrecy
SHAH yiclu to Justice and no impeachment
shall be placed in the way of the de-
lection, prosecution and conviction of the
guilty. The investigation of all elections
III Ntllt'l IL Is SbtiS NJ 10 open bbNtS
in search Ct crime shall be conducted by
d grand j-.ry composed of competent, in |
tcll!gelt citizens If high moral charac-
ter. Such grann jury shall have power |
lists, voting lists. tally sheets and all
documentary evidence of every kind; |
also to compel the production Of ballot |
,oXus. to open the same and examine the |
yallu.S; also to subpoena witnesses and |
take their testimony also to compare any |
part OF the evidence, oral, written or print
"d, with any other part OF the evidence.
Voters my stat. under oath what their |
bnOis We're as voted The jury. grand |
ur petit, SHALL decide under the Jaw and
all the Iic;s whether or not ballots have
bren w"ituli, and knowingly tampered
with. or changed, or misread. or falsely
counted, or false ballots placed in their
s,ead. Upon any Indictment returned a
speedy public trial shall be had and the
paliuts and documentary and oral evil
ience considered by the grand jury. and
other competent evidence. may he intro
duceu IN the trial under the rules of law
\ srard jury. for the investigation of
called in each county and in any city
with a government independent of the
county, by the several judges throughout
the state empowered by law 10 call grand
juries within thirty days after each gen.
eral election. or if judicial circuit or
district is composed of several counties.
after. Such grand jury shall take the
place of a regular annual grand jury
now provided for by law to investigate
elections and for other purposes, and
ers as to Investigations and the indict
ment of offenders for felonies and mis-
demeanors possessed by regular grand
jury. 1t is hereby made the imperative E
duty Of the Judge Of the court to specific '
ally charge such grand jury to investi- /
gate the preceding general election, or
1e may charge them to investigate of, 5
lnder the law by limitation. d
Section II. Competent persons who re- il
'eive the protection of the law shall
I'VE 1t to the state to act as election
st moral character to be found shall be S
elected. Neither poverty. nor wealth. T
lor magnitude, of business nor profess {
ional callings however exalted, shall ex-
use the citizens unless serious injury
you'd result, but druggists and physi- II
ians may be excused II they demand it, u
Nj judges and clerks of elections in
heir offices for specified term, and N
hall be examined thoroughly as to their Az
qualifications. Amy election commission
r or other officer charged with the Sc
.ction of election officials who shall fai .!
. make diligent search for men Of goo
haracter. or who shall wifully pass l., D
len of good character, and knowing =,
elect persons of bad reputation as eler, tf
on officials, shall be deemed guilty of a,
lisdemeanor. In all cities of 49, 900 in, u
abitants or more two competent judges NJ
nd one competent clerk Of high mora ~,
net from the city at large, and VIII
D not reside in the precinct for which m
,e: are chosen. These, with the tw' II
'ecinct. shall constitute the judges and A
erks for such precinct, and all judges n
I'd clerks shall be equally divided in M
9 reI Sa%nr bs the two Sar
ties in the state as shown by the las
neral election. In every precinct III w
ch cities there shall be stationed tw,
g booth, who shall protect all election
ficials. challengers, watchers. voters
ID others. and who. for willful failure
lsdemeanor. Wherever registration is
quired the person who registers shall
sn his name on the registration book. an
d when he comes to vote he shall again al
e poll book, and the election officers
~ compare the signatures. II the DC
ter cannot sign his name then he shall
Ike his mark in the usual way on the sol
yistration book. duly attested in writ
) by two or more reputable witnesses
whom he is known. and when any in Sv
} judges may determine from the ties. cal
nony Of the attesting witnesses, or II w.
" cannot be produced then from other ILL
,of, whether or not he is the same TO-
tion book, and in voting he shall again bo
Ike his mark attested as above re- ho
red. II any person signs any other VIII
IN his true name in registering or vot-
he shall be adjudged guilty OF forg- has
and punished as may be prescribed
statute. Every political party and ma
pose Of passins e"s any constitutionai lint
endment shall be entitled to a repre- ho,
tative inside of the booth to watch W.
balloting and counting. and in addi- wit
thereto shall also be entitled to one
llenger. Where 1t is provided herein +
t violation of any provision Of this n.
endment shall be a misdemeanor the Ne\
ishment shall be fixed by statute. II dor
offender IL regular official he shall, ueil
n conviction, forfeit his office. and he Rof
7 be prosecuted under this amendment AVN
his Office forfeited Independent Of
statute. The word election a. used
lin shall b. construed to mean any
ton. general or special whether q
.. county or municipal, including any q
nary election held under the law. or
J. amendment shall BE- self enforcing, -,
leg1slatlon may be enacted to facilI. The