The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1914-10-02
THE MOVEMENT FOR A
NEW CONSTITUTION
Only One Issue Involved at This Tim,
Shall a Convention Be
CaIisd7

II should be borno clearly In mind
that the movement com monty re-
ferred 70 as a movement for a new
constitution, which will be deter.
mined at the election this fall, in.
wolves but single issue at this time.
The one question is, as the ballot will
read: ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF A
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
IN THE YEAR 1887
A fair determination OF this main
issue should not be prejudiced in any
part OF the public mind by the over.
enthusiastic advocacy or opposition
which may be urged concerning any
special issue. All such special ise ues
can only be determined later by the
constitutional convention, in case the
people vote to call one. We are con.
fronted now with the single broad
question as to whether or not the
people Of Indiana want and need an
upto-date organic law.
1t was this general demand that
was expressed by Governor Ralston
when he recommended specifically, in
his message TO the Legislature Of
1913, that constitutional convention
be called. IL was the recognition Of
this demand which caused the Legis-
lature to submit the question to the
people. And IL was further recog.
nized. and even emphasized, by polit-
ical conventions, when they approved
kw tof nj ha
constitutional convention.
OF course. various needs to be en-
bodied in new or revised constitu
tion will be inslstently urged during
the course of the campaign. These
proposals will receive discriminating
consideration by the people, being
variously favored and opposed. But
there are fundam entail u eeds upon
which all can practically agree. There
are others upon which the most vital
differences OF opinion may exist, each
and every one having Its particular sd-
vocates as well as its opponents.
There is no marked line of division
separating these various elements.
Let the educational treatment Of
all of these matters continue through.
out the campaign! IL will surely tend
toward an awakened citizenship. But
let no one expect to determine in
advance what the convention will do.
Some OF the matters which are be
ing most prominently mentioned now
for the consideration OF the conven.
tion are: Improvements In our tar
system; also In our qualifi cations for
suffrage and In the conduct of elec.
safeguarding legislation and popular
government by initiative, referendum
and recall changing the terms Of
legislators and Of Officers generally;
making voting more effective by d.
rect and mandatory primary elec
tions and by proportional representa-
tion; simplifying our administrative
machinery by the, short ballot; estab
fishing qualifications for lawyers;
bringing about the simplification Of
our court procedure: making some la
Dor reforms possible, such as work
Ahth y compensation huu tn ccuNe ~
bitration Of labor disputes; taking the
liquor problem out of politics and
legislation; assuring a mod ern system
of municipal government by provid
ing for home rule for cities. These
and Others are being earnestly and
fairly discussed.
All advocates Of an up-to-date revi-
sion OF the constitution may join In
the movement for a constitutional
convention without discord as to de
tails. A non-partisan convention OF
delegates representing the whole peo-
pie will pass upon all our specific
needs later. IL should be especially
emphasized and remembered that this
convention will submit separately all
contested issues. to be determined by
the people. each upon its own merits
by this means we shall have truly q
peoples constitution.