The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-04-20

There are only two methods provided
by which the constitution of Florida
may be changed. One is by a pro-
posed amendment receiving a three
fifth vote of both branches of the leg
1slature and submitting it for ratif1-
cation at the general election; the
other is through revision by a con-
stitutional convention
Our present constitution provides in
section 2 of Article XVII that II at any
time the legislature, by a vote of two
thirds Of all the members of both
houses, shall determine that a revision
Is necessary, such determination shall
be entered upon the journals and pub
Eshed in one newspaper in each county
for ninety days prior to the next gem
eraI election. The electors may vote
for or against the revision question
and II a majority so voting be In
favor OF revision, the legislature
chosen at such election shall provide
by law for a convention which shall
be held within six months after the
passage of the act. The convention
much consist of a number equal to the
membership of the house Of represent
atives and shall be apportioned among
the several counties In the same man
ner as the members of the house.
The question arises-what advantage
has the convention for revision over
that of the amendment method. The
reasons most apparent are these: ID
The voters determine in the first place
whether or not the convention Is need
ed ca Then the legislature having
this in mind provides an act author
izing the election OF the members Of
the convention from the respective
counties. (3) The members are OF
necessity chosen with great care be-
cause they are to perform the highest
governmental function known to civil
lization- (4) The members prepare
for this special work, and often be-
fore converting, and meet for that pur-
pose only 50 The constitution Is
then ratified at the polls and the work
and expense is through with.
On the other hand. the method Of
submitting proposed amendments at
nearly every general election has
proven to be any other than satisfac-
tory, because the Importance of pro- |
posed changes In the constitution In
almost entirely lost whefe men are
running for every national. state and
county ONCE. Then, the person voting |
&c he does not kno wthe reasons for a |
proposed amendment, either votes |
against it or does not vote at al. To |
better illustrate, in the last election |
there was submitted for ratification
the amendment providing that a sub |
school district may issue bonds for
school purposes, and even with school |
children working for its passage. the I
total vote for and against it combined
was only 21,108. The total vote for |
the office Of governor in the same
election was over $4,000. In other
words. there were $1,000 voters voting
who did not express themselves on
this important amendment. Many
other amendments submitted since the
OF 1885 show even a greater
lack OF expression at the polls. Let
1t be said. however, that there has
been much interest aroused in the mat
ter OF making laws in the last de-
cade. probably due more to rural free
delivery than any other cause. The
total vote on some amendments prior
10 the one above noted fell below
IA, 900.
The last Florida constitutional con-
vention was held in 1856, and If the
aext convention should be called for
The earliest possible date, thirty years
will have Iapsed since the last revis-
lon. In other words. if the legislature
Df 1913 should submit the question Of
revision 1t would become necessary to
Fote upon it in November. 1914. If