The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-02-25
The Amendments

Eight proposed amendments to the
Constitution of Vermont will be voted
upon on March 4. All were approved
by a two-thirds vote of the Senate
which was concurred in by a MAORI
ty Of the House of the General AS
sembly of 1910, and they have been
approved by both branches of the
Legislature Of 1912. They have been
printed in the newspapers and, pre-
sumably, citizens have decided how
they VIII vote on the question of rati
fication. There is, as a rue, a ten
dency to neglect such questions, but
1t is obvious that in a matter so i'm
portant as the amendment of the Con-
stitution of the state there should be
very general expression of opinion
at the polls.
The first proposed amendment re
lates to the approving, signing or We
toing of b lis passed by the Legisla-
ture. At present the Constitution
provides that, if upon reconsideration
of bill disapproved by the governor,
majority of the members of each
branch vote to pass the bill, notwith-
standing executive dsapproval, it
shall become law. 1t Is proposed to
substitute for the majority require
ment a provision that vote of two
thirds of the members present in
each branch be required in order to
pass a bill over the governors veto.
The second proposed amendment,
relating to biennial sessions and cleo
tons, term of Office of the governor,
lieutenant governor, treasurer, secre-
tary Of state, auditor of accounts and
county officers, would, if adopted,
change the time of the biennial cleo
ton from September to the first Tues
day next after the first Monday in
November, beginning in 1914. The
term of Office of members of the Leg
isl9ture would begin on the first We'd
nesday next after the first Monday Of
January following their election.
While it is doubtful whether YER
mont is ready to give up the Septem-
Der elect on, it should be said that
the change proposed would result in
saving of Tie expenses incident to
having two elections, one for state
officers and one for Presidential cleo
tors, every four years, instead of one
election which now is held to be suf-
licient in nearly every other state. If
legislators were paid lump sum for
their services, the session of a Legs
lature meeting in January would be
likely TO be shorter than that of one
meeting in October But there is
still another argument for the pro-
posed change. The notion that the
result of Vermonts September cleo.
ton shows how the country is likely
to vote in November, tends to con-
centrlte attention upon national is
sues when it should be gwen to state
issues. Managers of the national
campaign, anxious TO see heavy
vote on their side. DO all they can 10
bring national issues to the front,
and voters are urged to stand by the
party" for the sake OF the effect such
a vote will have in the country at
large. The inevitable result is that,
to a considerable extent at least,
state issues OF prime Importance are
neglected
The third proposal relates to a
change in regard TO the requirements
for securing the printing oil the yeas
and nays on any question. The fourth
proposed amendment is important. 1t
says that mo person ought in any
case, or in any time, to be declared
guilty of treason or felony, by the
Legislature, nor TO have his sentence
upon convict on for felony committed,
RENTED or mitigated by the Legisla-
ture." The amendment takes the
pardon power in murder cases from
the Legislature and gives it TO the
governor and council.
The fifth proposed amendment dl
reefs the General Assembly TO pro
vide by general laws for the organi-
cation OF all corporations hereafter to
be created The sixth provides that
wherever the words Judge" or "judg-
es" are used n the Constitution or
amendments, to designate a judge or
judges OF the supreme court the words
Justice" or Justices" shall be sub
stituted therefor. The seventh en-
powers the Legislature TO pass laws
compelling compensation for injuries
received by employees in the course
of their employment, and TO specify
the class or classes of employers and
employees to which such laws shall
apply. The eight and last proposed
amendment directs the judges OF the
Supreme court to revise Chapter two
of the Const tuition by Incorporating
therein all amendments in force and
l..