Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-10-10
Proposed BY Initiative Petition
EIGHTH CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND.
MENT.

tiQattnq elections, may open Denee
tion lists. voting lists and tally sheets;
providing for trials on Indictments re-
turned in such Investigations presoriplns
the manner OF selection and the quannsa
lions of election officials; requiring po-
licemeu to be stationed In and near
polling places in certain cities and pre-
scrlbIng the manner OF voting therein.
Proposed amendment to the constitu-
ton Of Missouri. to be submitted to the
legal voters thereof. for their approval OF
rejection, at the regular general election
to be held on Tuesday. the htth day OF
November, A. u. 1912, and empowering
grand juries TO investigate offenses COM
mitted In elections, to return indictments
thereon, and providing for the trial upon
such indictments in the courts, also pro-
viding for the manner OF conducting elec-
tions. the duties of officers ana voters
with reference thereto, ana the qualinca-
tions and selection OF judges ana CLERKS
of election throughout the state and In
cities of 25, 600 inhabitants or more.
Section l. The ballot shall remain Sc
cret in Missouri, but where crime mas
been committed in any election secrecy
shall yield to justice, and no impeachment
h be placed in the way OF the ue-
lection, prosecution ana conviction OF the
guilty. The investigation Of all elections
in which it is sought to open ballot boxes
in search Of crime shall be conducted by
a grand jury composed of competent, IN
telligent citizens OF high moral charac-
ter. Such grand jury shall have power
to compel the production Of registration
lists, voting lists, tally sheets and all
documentary evidence of every kind;
also to compel the production of ballot
boxes, to open the same and examine the
ballots; also to subpoena witnesses ana
take their testimony; also to compare any
part oil the evidence, oral, written or print
ed, with any other part OF the evidence.
Voters may state under oath what their
ballots were as voted. The jury, grand
or petit, shall decide under the law n
all the facts whether or not ballots haye
been willfully and knowingly tampered
with, or changed, or miSread, or falsely
counted, or false ballots placed in their
stead. Upon any Indictment returned a
speedy public trial shall be had, and the
ballots and documentary and oral evi.
dence considered by thei grand jury, and
other competent evidence. may be intro
duced in the trial under the rules of law.
A grand jury, for the investigation of
elections as above provided, shall be
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 to call grand
juries,, within thirty days after each gen
eral election, or if a Judicial circuit Or
district is composed of several counties,
then at the next term of the court there
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
when convened shall possess all the pow
erS as 10 Investigations ana the lnQlCt-
ment of offenders for felonies and mis-
demeanors possessed by a regular grand
jury. 1t is hereby made the imperative
duty of the judge of the court to specific
gate the preceding general election, or
he may charge them to investigate Of
tenders in other elections not barred
under the law by limitation.
Section IL. Competent persons who re-
ceive the protection Of the law shall
owe it to the state to act as election
officials, and individuals of the very high
est moral character to be found shall be
selected. Neither poverty, nor wealth,
nor magnitude of business. nor profess
sional callings however exalted, shal ex-
cuse the citizens unless serious injury
would result, but druggists and physi-
clans may be excused if they demand it.
All judges and clerks of elections in
cities above $4,000 inhabitants shall hold
their offices for a specified term, and
shall be examined thoroughly as to their
qualifications. Any election commission
er or other officer charged with the Sc
lection of election officials who shall fail
to make diligent search for men of good
character, or who shall wiIlfully pass by
men of good character and knowingly
select persons of bad reputation as cleo
ton officials, shall be deemed guilty of a
misdemeanor. In all cities of rs. 900 in
habitants or more two competent judges
and one competent clerk of high moral
character shall be chosen for each pre-
cinct from the city at large. and who
W HOl I6Slu6 III the precinct 1Or which
they are chosen. These, with the two
Judges and one clerk chosen from the
precinct, shall constitute the judges and
clerks for such precinct, and all judges
each precinct between the two political
parties having the largest number Of
votes in the state as shown by the last
general election. In every precinct in
policemen. one outside and one inside
the booth, who shall protect all election
officials, challengers, watchers. voters
and others, and who, for willful failure
to do so, shall be adjudged guilty Of a
Wherever registration is
required the person who registers shall
sign his name on the registration book,
and when he comes to vote he shall again
sign his name opposite his number on
the poll book, and the election officers
compare the signatures, If the
voter cannot sign his name then he shall
his mark in the usual way on the
registration book, duly attested in writ
ing by two or more reputable witnesses
to whom he is known, and when any in
divldual offers to vote under such name
judges may determine from the tes-
timony of the attesting witnesses, or If
cannot be produced then from other
proof, whether or not he is the same
who made his mark on the regis
tration book, and in voting he shall again
his mark attested as above re-
quired. If any person signs any other
his true name in registering or vot-
lIl6 IS 0lldu W. duJuuSSu guilty Oh IOrR-
cry and punished as may be prescribed
by statute. Every political party and
every body of citizens organized for the
OF passing any constitutional
inside Of the booth to watch
the balloting and counting, and in addi-
ton thereto shall also be entitled to one
challenger. Where it is provided herein
amendment shall be a misdemeanor the
punishment shall be fixed by statute. If
the offender is a regular official he shall.
conviction, forfeit his office, and he
may be prosecuted under this amendment
his office forfeited independent of
any statute. The word election as used
nerein shall be construed to mean any
general or special, whether
state, county or municipal, including apy
primary election held under the law.
This amendment shall be self-enforcing.
put legislation may be enacted to facili-
tate it's operation.
Section III. Any constitutional pro-
vision, or law, or part thereof, in conflict
With his amendment is hereby repealed.
BY Initiative Petition.
NINTH CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND-
MENT.
Providing for Ievying and coIlectlno.
IN each one hundred dollars assessed
a state tax of ten cents for
ne support OF the public elementary
,nd hlgh schools, state normais, Lin
'oln Institute and the State University.
Proposed amendment to the Constitu-
ion OF Missouri to be submitted to the
voters Of the state of Missouri for
heir approval or rejection at the regular
general election to be held on the Tues
lay next following the first Monday in
November, a, D. 1912, providing for
for the support OF public educs.
ion, by adding to article X Of the Con-
one new section to be known
IS section twenty-eight (2S). which is In
words and figures as follows:
Section rs. A state tax of ten cents nm
iach one hundred dollars valuation shall
'e annually levied and collected on tha
lssessed value Of all property subject Nv
TO taxation in this state. The nros
OF said tax shall be set apart in the
tate treasury, and appropriated by the