Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-12-02
GATEWAY WANTED !.
:. 70 CONSTITUTION
SENATOR cUMMINS Proposed
AMENDMENT TO De vIooR.
oUsLv OPPOSED.
WANTS IT MADE EASIER
TO EFFECT CHANGES
Present. Method So Difficult That Few
Amendments Have Been Added
shafroth Proposes Amendment
Changing Date Of Inauguration and
Time Of Taking Office BY censrsss.
Especial Correspondence

Washington, Dec. 1.-TWO important
proposed amendments to the cOnstitu-
ton have been favorably reported to
the senate judiciary committee by q
subcommittee having them In charge.
One Is the Cummins measure In
tended to make the constitution itself
easier OF amendment. The other is
the Shafroth measure, which provides
there shall be two regular sessions
of congress beginning the first Mon
day in January each year. and also
provides the terms Of senators and
members OF the house shall begin on
the first Monday in January following
their election. Furthermore. the
Shafroth measure would change the
date OF the beginning Of the terms Of
president and vice president to the
second Monday In January.
Adoption of gateway amendment,
along the lines proposed by Senator
Cummins. and also the proposed
change in the date Of the beginning OF
the congressional term and the terms
of the president and vice president.
have long been mooted.
Opposition In Committee.
Opposition has sprung up in the
senate judiciary committee itself to
both amendm ents. Whether they will
be forced thru remains to be seen. That
great fight will be precipitated over
them is likely.
It is developed that the subcommit-
Tee. consisting OF Senators Asnurst.
Chiffon and Cummine, made favorable
reports on the two proposed amend
ments some days ago. The reports
we're brought before the judiciary
committee and discussion begun. No
vote was taken on either proposition.
Senator Reed. OF Missouri, q demo-
cratic leader, was one OF those to op-
pose the proposed changes and es-
pecially the easier amendment Of the
constitution. Senator Sutherland, OF
Utah opposed them ana Senator Borah
has shown signs Of opposition. espe-
cially to the idea OF making amend
ment OF the constitution less difficult
Situation Interesting.
lnamuch az q big meeting OF the
Popular Government League will DO
held hero Doc. 8 and q large number
Of prominent men. including many In
congress-. without regard to party, will
endorse a gateway" amendment to
the constitution. tho situation II espe-
cially interesting.
The Cummins amendment to provide
for easier amendment OF tho constitu-
ton, without abolishin8 article v OF
the constitution with reference to
amendments. provides for an amend
ment which will enable proposed
amendments to be initiated by the leg
islatures Of sixteen states or Is per
cent Of the voters In twenty four
states. It provides that such amend
ments shall be valid when ratified b.
two-thirds Of the states acting by tho
legislatures OK by the people by d.
rect vote.
But Rarely Changed.
Under existing provisions OF the
constitution. amendments can Dc In
itiated only by action OF two-th1rds
OF both houses Of congress or at tho
request Of two-thirds Of tho states.
and ratification can be had only with
the consent Of three-fourths the states
acting thru the legislatures or con-
ventions. Amendment II thus made 80
difficult that the constitution II but
rarely changed. It required. for In
stance, q campaign OF many years 70
get direct election OF senators or to
yet an income tax amendment tho pub
lie sentiment long was strongly IN Ia
vor Of both propositions.
Clumsy Arrangement.
The idea OF changing the inaugural
date and the time OF beginning con-
gress has been discussed pro and con
from time immemorial One OF the
plans proposed has been to have the
inaugural later in the spring on &C
count of the bad weather OF early
March. But the idea which Is gaining
ground in congress is that the new
Congress and the new president should
take hold Of the government just as
soon as practicable after election. BY
.hc present system, II man Ia elected
to the senate or house in q general
election in Novmber he does not &C.
tually begin to serve until the opening
of the regular session Of congress over
yea. later His Term begins the
March following his election but he
does not enter on his duties. unless
there is q special session. until a year
from the December following his cleo
ton. This clumsy and unwise ar
rangement has often been condemned
but 1t has never been found possible
to change 1t.
The shafroth amendment would
have the electoral college meet the
first Monday in January instead OF