The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-05-30
Plan to Hold Constitutional
Convention Being Widely
Discussed in State.
PARTIES TO GO ON RECORD
Friends Of the Changes in the Con-
stitution Seek to Make it Poll
tical Issue in the Coming State
Campaign.

The movement which is on foot to
ask the two major parties of the state
to go on record in their candidate
conventions for the calling of q con-
stitutional convention is likely to at
tract a great deal of attention in the
state and be tie cause of great deal
of discussion. The sentiment in the
state is very much divided over the
question as to whether a constitution
al convention should be called, there
being many persons who arc much In
favor of the calling of convention
and many others who are equally OPP
posed to convention being called.
This division Of sentiment is likely to
appear in both the Democratic and Re
publican candidate conventions when
the question arises in the convention
as to whether there shall be included
in the party platforms pledges for the
calling Of the convention.
There are arguments which can be
produced ON both sides Of the ques-
tion which are of great weight, and
undoubtedly all of these arguments
will be raised by friends and cppo-
nents of the proposed move. What is
more, the leaders of even the progress
sive branches of both parties are at
variance on the constitutional conven-
ton nd others just as much opposed.
AS a general thing the conservative
leaders in both parties are opposed to
any constitutional convention being
called in the near future. The adop-
tion or rejection of the constitution
drawn by constitutional convention
in Ohio the past winter, when it is
submitted to vote Of the people, will
also be watched with interest in this
state and may have some bearing
on the final settlement of this ques-
tion here,
The greatest argument which is
raised against the calling of consti-
tutional convention is expense. The
meeting of convention of delegates
for several months in Madison for the
purpose OF drafting new constitution
for Wisconsin would without doubt be
attended with great deal Of cost to
the state. 1t would probably be near
ly as expensive as legislative SEES
sion. To place such burden on this
state at this time it is claimed is not
necessary when all that has TO be done
to secure an amendment to the Wis
consin constitution is to pass reso-
luton through two legislatures, when
it must of necessity be submitted to
5he people for vote. It is claimed
that through this method any reason
able amendment which the state may
desire to make to its basic law can be
easily accomplished. This argument
will be used with great force before
the Republican and Democratic con
ventions to prevent the adoption of
any platform planks for a constitu-
tional convention, for the reason that
it is well known fact that the state
is at the present time heavily burden
ed with expenses and not m a position
to assume any more burdens. AT
least so the opponents of constitu-
tional convention will argue, and with.
out doubt with a great deal of force.
1t will be said also that so far when.
ever the people have really desired
that the constitution should be amend.
ed they have MOI found it very hard
to do so with he ways and means at
hand. In fact, of late years, no con
stitutional amendment of any great
Importance has ever experienced any
great amount Of opposition before
the legislature. Several have, however
been defeated when submitted to the
people The most recent of the i'm,
portant constitutional amendments to
meet defeat at the hands of the voters
was the measure increasing the com.
pensation of members of the legisIa.
ture from $500 to 81 600 for session
This was defeated by quite a large
vote.
There will be no need to ask the
Social Democrats to pledge in their
platform convention support for a
movement for constitutional conven.
ton, as it is well known that they are
very much in favor of such conven,
tion and have worked very hard in
years past to secure such a conven.
ton. They, of course, desire some ra.
deal changes in Wisconsin's constitu.
tion and should constitutional con.
vention be called they would make a
hard fght to secure the recognition OF
Z some of their ideas in the new con.
stitution.
A plan which has been proposed ia
obyiate the necessity of a constitu
tional convention is the adoption Of a
change in the constitution whereby
i