The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1912-10-17
Proposed BY Initiative Petition.
EIGHTH CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENT,

| MENU.
Providing that grand Juries, In inves-
t'Sat:E9 elections. may open baiot
| boxes. compel the production of regstra-
! providing for trials on indictments re-
| iurned in such investigations; prescribing
| the manner OF selection and the qua'ifica-
tons Of election officials; requiring po-
Iicemen to be stationed in and near
polling places in certain cities and pre-
serib,rg 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
Rejection, at the regular general election
November. 4. ID. 1912, and empowering
grand juii.s to investigate offenses COM
mitted in elections, to return Indictments
thereon. ana providing for the trial upon
sucn indictments in the courts: also pro-
viding for the manner Of conducting cleo
lions. the duties of officers and voters
with reference thereto, and the lualifica-
tons and selection of judges and clerks
If election throughout the state and In
cities I'll a5.Uov Inhabitants or more.
Section l. The ballot shall remain Sc
clct i'll Missouri, but where crime has
been committed in any election secrecy
skall Yield 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
in which ii is sought to open ballot boxes
IN SStltI CT tflll' Slliil nc CDIuutteu Ny
Il grand j;.ry composed of competent, in
tciIigeI.t CitiZtnS of high moral charac-
tel. Such grand jury shall have power
To ctu,pel the production of registration
lists. voting lists. tally sheets and all
documentary evidence OF every kind;
ais, to compel the production of ballot
ZONES tn rr,M the same ana examine the
,all".s; also 10 subpoena. witnesses and
lake their testimony: also to compare any
part vi TIN evidence, oral, written or print
ii. with Any other part of the evidence.
Votes lily state un,ier oath what their
II re,it. S-i,,l d,cius under me law and
III the .y.s whether on not ballots have
Nt,u w.!!'n.N and knowingly tampered
wi>h NJ cna@ged 81 rni+rrtd. or falsely
nuuatsa. al false ballots placed in their
s.etd. Up II ANY iniictmcHt returned
speedy pui'.!c TRIAL shall be had, and the
ballots and documentary and oral evil
dsure considered ny the grand jury. and
other competent evidence. may be intro
ducvu in Jir trial under the rules If law.
\ ssraEd Jury. ior tn" .inveSti2liun of
eigcJi"ns as above provided, shall be
called in each county and in amy city
with a government Independent of the
county. ny the several judges throughout
the STATE empowered by law 10 call grand
jnrics. within thirty days after each gem
eral election. ar if a Judicial circuit or
district is composed OF several counties
then at the next term of NE court tAcrH- |
after surh srand ,lly shall take the
place of a regular annual grand jury. |
now provided for by law to investigate !
elections and for other purposes, ana
when convened shall possess all the pow
erS to Investigations and the indict-
mcnt o; Offenders for felonics and mis-
demeanors possessed by regular grand
jury. 1t is hereby made the imReratiye
duty of the Judge of the court to Specific
ally charge such grand jury to investi-
gate the preceding general election, or
he may charge them to investigate Of
Tenders in other elections not barred
under the law by limitation
!
crlNe the protection of the law. silnl
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 shall
use 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
titles above $4,000 inhabitants shall hold
shall be examined thoroughly as to their
Any election commission
RI or other officer charged with the Sc
lection of election officials who shall fHi
character. or who shall wilfully pass ~ [
men of good character. and knowing
select persons of bad reputation as el,'-
In ali cities Of IS. 600 IN ,
or more two competent judge"
and one competent clerk of high mora
character shall be chosen for each pre-
,inct from the city at large, and VIII
10 not reside in the precinct for whirh
he;- are chosen. These, with the tw' I
Judges and one clerk chosen from the
Jerks for such precinct. and all judges r
md clerks shall be equally divided ia
Zach precinct between the two political! ,
arties having the largest number "i E
General election In every precinct IL
UGH cities there shall be stationed tM' .
,olicemen. one outside and one inside
hi sSs eh nhs sa a
md others. and who, for willful failure {
o do so. shall be adjudged guilty of a
nisdemsanor, Wherever registration Is
ign his name on the registration book,
nd when he comes to vote he shall again
ign his name opposite his number on
nay compare the signatures. If the t
otter cannot sign his name then he shall e.
make his mark in the usual way on the
egistration book. duly attested in writ n
D whom he is known. and when any IN
ividual offers to vote under such name d
he judges may determine from the ties. n
mony Of the attesting witnesses. or II y
hey cannot be produced then from other Y
roof. whether or. not he is the same #
ersor who made his mark on the regis
,ake his mark attested as above re- A
uired. II any person signs any other
ian his true name in registering or vot- II
lg he shall be adjudged guilty of fors. c:
~ and punished as may be prescribed. ~
y statute. Every political party and
'erv body of citizens organized for the e,
rpose of passing any constitutional =,
shall be entitled to repre- u
.ntative inside of the booth to watch q,
10 balloting and counting. and In addi- =,
on thereto shall also be entitled to one VI
Where it is provided herein m
lat a violation Of any provision of this :,
nendment shall be a misdemeanor the u
inishment shall be fixed by statute. II &C
e offender Is a regular official he shall. -
ION conviction. forfeit his office, and he III
ay be prosecuted under this amendment th
Id his office forfeited Independent Of M,
" statute. The word election as used '"
rein shall be construed to- mean any
ection. general or special. whether nv
ate, county or municipal. including any e.
imary. election held under the law. IL
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