The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1914-05-28
Constitutional Amendments.

at least a dozen propositions, !" r.
marked Secretary Of State Cornell,
Roach today, ION which the vote
will be called to exercise his jud,
ment at the polls. 1t is not too earl
for the public to familiarize itselfw
the merits of these propositions. Sine
there is no prospect Of there being
constitutional convention in Missouri
the people should interest themselve
in passing judgment at the ballot DO
on the amendments that are propose
at each successive general election.
"The ridiculous practice Of permit
ting an unpopular measure to carr,
to defeat all that are submitted, GOO
and bad, regardless of merit, ,shoul'
not prevail. The voter should b.
prepared before reaching the polls II
exercise discrimination. That which
is good should be voted for affirma
lively, and negative vote should BIZ
cast against that which is bad"
I'm 1910, the people permitted the
prohibition amendmentto carry every.
thing down, ten other propositions
being slaughtered Unfortunately.
In 1912, the single-tax took eight
other amendmendments down to de.
feat. Such regrettable results are
due more to lack of attention than to
lack of intelligence. Voters should
inform themselves early, and not
wait till election day to learn of all
the ballot shall contain"
Number One ~ on. the ballot this
year is designed to exempt the taxa
ton question from the application of
the initiative law and to provide for
local authorities passing upon the
genuineness of signatures on initiative
and referendum petitions. To APP
prove or disapprove of Number One
on this years ballot is very light
tax on the intellectually Of any voter.
Number Two (2) on the ballot is
submitted for the purpose Of giving
the people of Kansas City the power,
if they so wish, to acquire municipal
utilities. Why should the State of
Missouri arbitrarily withhold that
power?"
Number Three ~ is to provide
for State levy Of one mill for tina
improvement of public roads. Good
roads can not be built without funds,
and the only way the State has to get
money for any purpose is to tax"
Number Four az, if adopted, will
fix the salary of the members of the
Legislature at one thousand dollars
per year. At the present wage, most
members Of the general assembly
take the office at a financial sacrifice,
and many citizens whose worldly
goods are limited are practically pre-
vented from aspiring to the office Of
law-maker."
Number Five (5) is intended to
give St. Louis debt-making power for
the purpose Of building or acquiring
subway. If the people Of st. Louis
want subway, what sane objection
can there be to letting them have it ii
they want to pay for it with their
own money. The bigger and better
St. Louis becomes, the greater and
richer is the State"
Number Six -(6 is another good
roads amendment. This one is to
grant the people of a special or gem
eral road district the power to make
aleyy for road purposes if the voters
Of the district so decide by majority
vote. Why not let people who so
wish build good roads for them
selves?"
Number Seven (O is for the pur-
pose of providing by law for the pay
ment of pensions to the deserving
blind. Who is there that enjoys the
precious blessing of sight so penur-
ous and uncharitable as to deny q
pittance at public expense to the af-
Flicted cropping in darkness?"
Number Eight (N is to provide /
Tor a slight change in the procedure
For amending charters Of cities hay I
ing more than 10000 inhabitants. /,
Az such amendment must be an 1
proved BY thnss- fifths Of the people.|.
II such city before becoming effe6t +
We. no serious harm can come to u5ll;
State from granting the change 81 |;
rested. The. change does not 81
'rease the difficulties incident tol