Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1913-01-24
CONSTITUTION is KnrouArsD

IEVunQ mat the Kansas cOnSt1tutl0
y antiquated and insufficient for MOD
I'm requirements, Bale Waggenel
senator from Atchison, introduced il
The senate today a resolution calling
tor revision and amending of tn
state organic acts. The resolution re
Sommends that electors vote at thI
4ext election Of members to the leg
stature for or against constitution
al convention.
The resolution says:
The present state constitution was
adopted in 1859 and became effective
N 1861 when only small portion Of
eAis commonwealth was settled and
lad only a few thousand inhabitants
British government problems were
almost entirely those Of a pioneer
community. The growth and devel
opment of this state in the succeed
ing half century, and the diversity
aud completely Of its concerns have
brought new problems which need
new laws and broader governments
powers.
Each succeeding legislature finds
the restrictions and limitations of the
eFesent constitution more onerous
and less adapted to the needs Of a
f0il-grown state. The present consti.
tuition prevents the legislature from
Sealing in an effective way with the
more pressing problems of the TWEEN
oath century state government, such
rs reform in jury trials, fewer cleo
Uons, the short ballot, the initiative
sAd referendum and the recall of der.
ehct officers, the abolition Of obsolete
and useless officers, non-partisan cleo
lions for judicial and educational Of
ices, improvement of the general ell
ection laws, including the qualifica-
lions of the voters, reformation of
the laws Of assessment and taxation,
state aid for good roads, improve
ments and many other reforms as i'm
pOrtant and desirable.
Only three amendments can be
submitted by any one legislature. The
modern reform program outlined
above cannot be instituted within
the life Of one generation by such
inadequate constitutional means.
"The prohibitory law has now be-
come so thoroughly identified with
the life and thought of the people of
Kansas that there is no longer any
danger of its repeal or omission by
a new constitution, and the safe
guarding of that law, wise and salu-
tary though it be, ought no longer
TO bar other, pressing and greatly
1eeded constitutional reforms"
In view of these conditions the res
0lutiOn urges that two-thirds of the
members elected to each branch of
the legislature cOncurring, a conven-
lion be called to revise the constitu-
ton.
Senator Waggener introduced bills
that are inteded to give about mil
hon dollars a year to the state for
road building purposes. One bill pro-
Vides for a tax on motor cars and
motorcycles, five dollars a year for
motorcycles and a cent a pound per
year for motor cars. 1t is estimated
that these taxes would produce half
million dollars. The money is to be
distributed among the counties CT the
state according to population, but no
county to receive more money after
It gets a certain maximum population.
This is to prevent big counties from
getting more than their share of the
Eland.
Another bill introduced by Senator
Waggener provides that by July Is
II each election year, each voter
must register his party preferences
and must vote his registered political
dcket in the primary. Another bill
BY the same author provides for the
establishment Of a state revenue
agency to examine tax records to pre-
vent tax lodging.
Senator Stavely introduced a reso-
Nation for the recall of judicial deci-
sions. 1t provides that If the Kansas
supreme court holds as constitutional
the law enacted by the legislature
that the succeeding legislature may
submit the law to a vote Of the peo-
pie and if adopted, the law cannot be
vetoed or held unconstitutional.
A house bill by A. NJ. Keene Of
Bourbon is expected to find favor
among the new Kansas voters-the
women. 1t exempts them from jury
service. The present laws make them