The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1914-10-22
REASONS WHY ALL OF The CON-
STITUTlONAL AMENDMENTS
SHOULD Be VOTED DOWN

TO THR ELECTORS OF WISCONSIN;
The constitution of the state OF WIS
consin contains the principles OF gov
ernment for this state. 1t is modelled
after that of The United States. Under
it the government is a representative
government, the only kind OF republl-
can government that can or ever has
existed for any length of time. In this
state it has existed for upwards OF SIN
ty years, and has been satisfactory to
the working, industrious citizen, not
to the experimeter, theorist or faddist.
BY its terms the powers vested IN the
executive, the legislative and judicial
branches of the government are proper
" balanced The individual and prop
erty rights of each citizen are adequat-
ely protected. Extravaganza, waste,
the multiplicity Of Offices have grown
up under it. not by reason OF any detect
in it, but because of the activity OF the
eXperimenter and politician. The So
cia.ists, eXperimenters, faddists ami
politicians offer us ten amendments OF
that great bin of rights which has
stood the test of time None OF these
amendments in any way lessons the
number of offices, the expenses OF gov
ernment, waste or extravaganza. On
the other hand each will increase the
expenses of government.
The amendments in brief are as fol-
lows:
|. The initiative and referendum
vesting in the people the power to pro-
pose and make laws independent of the
legislature practically destroying rep
resentative government, practically
superseGing every other provision OF
the constitution. Is any thoughtful
citizen willing to undertake this bur
den?
II. The effect of the second amend
ment increases the salaries of leglsla-
tors from $500 to 81 200 per term. Can
we afford it? Bear in mind the words
, of the late Chief Justice Wilton that
while small salaries given to the leg
islators do not compensate for the time
spent and expenses incurred, yet the
moment large salary is attached to
the Office the cupidity and avarice of
the cheap, >anscrupulous man is excit-
ed. and he ST. yes for the Office for the
comrensation aso: :hed {, 1t to be DO,
triment of the public The past has
demonstrated that the character and
ability of our Legislators has decreased
even more rapidly than the salaries
have increased.
Ill. TO amend the constitution and
empower the Legislature to decrease
the number of judicial circuits in the
state, to authorize the election of more
than one Judge in each circuit. What
is the object of this? The only effect
can be TO authorize the legislature to
re-district the iuGcial circuits of this
state. to increase the number Of Judges
and to centralize the judicial power to
the detrlment of rural communities,
Dlal6 lilt DtlSIl ubNtOl tiit poNSi VI
the Legislature.
". Amendments four and five au-
thorize the state to engage in the busi-
ness of fire and life insurance and grant
annuities, This amendment would in
crease very largely the number OF oiii-
ces and employees in the state, and past
hos lamnpStratpl that this
state can not carry on any kind of busi-
ness economically and efficiently.
In addition TO that, the officials of
the state would be authorized to con-
tract in the name of the state, large
Indebtedness and would burden the tax
payers of the state with the cost OF in
surance far beyond its real worth;
would burden the majority who do not
insure, with the cost of insurance by
the minority: would burden the farms
and lands not covered with expensive
Improvements, with the insurance and
risks of large and expensive buildings;
would place the people for all time in
the power of an expensive, useless
horde of officials; would cucumber and
burden the people with n political ma
chine that in time would become as
burdensome as the yoke of an absolute
monarchy.
Think Of giving to a political officer
authority to grant annuities. The
foregoing amendment would mean an
other commission, with more employees
than any we now have, and still
greater expense to the tax payer, and
at the same time cut from our income
nearly one million dollars, now raid by
insurance companies as taxes. OAe
great fire, like that of Chicago, Balti-
more or San Francisco, would bank
rupt the state The first step to com
pulsory insurance, the first step toward
the destruction of fraternal and farm
ers il surance, and a long stride on the
oad toward Russian bureaucracy.
Y V. This is duplicate of four. Seems
to be the purpose of those interested,
if they fail in one, to slip over the peo-
pie another, and shows the sinister mo-
tive Of the willy politician and expert
meuter, and should be rejected.
VI. Giving to cities and villages the
pnmor IN amapa thair nwp n n rtarS aul