The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-08-16
AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION

AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION
There does not seem to be much
public interest in the coming election,
on September 3, on the proposed
amendments to the constitution Of
Ohio. This apparent lack Of interest
may be accounted for, at least to
large extent, by the very animated
political conditions that have been en-.
Tgrossing the attention of the public
mind and which give promise Of con-
tinuing so to do for some time to
come, SO tina. It is possible that little
attention will be paid to the special
election OF Sept. and a light vote
be cast. Therein lies the danger
lack of public interest in the matter
which should concern every citizen,
as there are several propositions of
an exceedingly important nature.
Some ere good and worthy OF support.
Others need an emphatic negative
vote.
Last Friday The Banner sent out
four.pase section containing the ad-
dress of the committee of the con-
stitutional convention and the ex.
planation of each proposal as made
by the same committee. The charge
mas been made that proper explana.
tion has not been made of all of the
amendments and that an effort has
been made to deceive the voters In
some instances. AS sample. u IL
pointed out that this exists with ref.
erence 10 the very first proposal In its
title. Reform In Civil Jury System"
objection being made to the use Of
the word Reform" II In contended
that this word was used to make an
impression on the mind OF the voter,
and that there IL, in fact, no reform
contained In the proposal referred
to; that In the title the word Change"
should have been used instead OF IRE
form" AZ representing the fact, the
first proposal Offering change, but
I'm no sense a reform.
One does not have to accept the ex-
PLANTATION of the committee fr0in Tho
constitutional convention as repre-
senting the facts with reference to
any OF the eorty-two proposals which
are not clear to his mind. There are
other channels through which the
voter seeking information may OBJ
tain II.
Each proposal stands by itself so
far aB the vote to adopt II is concern.
ed. II does not require a majority of
all the votes cast at the election.
but simply q majority of those
voting on any proposal to carry
% through. To Illustrate; Suppose
hat al the special election on Sept.
3, a total of 100000 votes are cast.
II would not mean that "A proposal to
be adopted would have 10 receive
100000 votes, that being majority
Of the total. II Is the vote cast on
each proposal that counts, bare ma.
1oiity being required no matter how
small the vote. IL only three votes
were cast on proposal ana two were
for il, IL would be adopted
~ has been suggested that where
the voter does not understand pro-
posal the safest thing TO do Ia to vote
against H. The better thing to do ls
to find out what II means and II
the voter seeking Information cannot
satisfy his mind as TO the meaniua
and effect Of any proposal then he
would probably be pursuing the beat
course by voting mo" In each and
every instance. This for the reason
that the constitutional cony ention
mas no right to present any proposal
10 the voter that cannot be under.
stood by the man of average intelli-
gencc. There should he nothing hid.
den In the proposals. nothing OF
doubtful nature. They should be stat.
ed IN the plaiDest, simplest language,
so that they could be understood by
all II should not be necessary to he
IA lawyer, or to consult lawyer. to
have Q correct understanding Of the
proposals, yet some OF the proposals
are clothed In such language tina,
lawyers disagree AZ 10 their meaning.
Is II any wonder, then. that the suY-
gestion has been made t0 vote mo"
on proposal that 10 not understoodY :
Some Of the proposals. such as the
Abolition OF Capital Punishment, the
Abolition Of Prison Contract Labor.
Woman Suffrage and Liquor lLicense.
are all clearly enough stated, and the
voter viii have no trouble In regis.
tering his Views on them. but there
are many others that require the aer.
vices OF lawyer to construe them
Most OF us are not lawyers and
haven't lawyer In the family TO In