Gunnison news-champion., 1914-10-23
cOhsTTUTIWI mfD-
nEITs SHOULD n sTUOED
Some Proposed Measures That
Should be Defeated. Oshcrs
Are Worthy

The sixteen constitutional amend
meHts and referred laws which We must
vote upon this fall are published com
plete upon pages i've. SIX aud seven Of
the NeWs-O hampton. II is. Of course.
our duty 60 study these laws in order
thai We may vote intelligently. but II Is
safe proposition If you do no; under
stand a law. vote against il aud be on
the safe side.
On several Of these proposed measures
News-Champion has positive opinions.
Ne. I. proposing to amend the initiative
and referendum laws is certainly bad.
In effect it provides that when a certain
proposition is once submitted and
LOSES IT cannot again be brought gp
for SIX years. If it happens to carry,
IL can be repealed in two years. Evi-
IDENTITY the gsngsters think the people
are fools TO tie their own hands in that
fashion.
No. 2. is the ''wet and dry PROPOSE
tion. 1t is the general opinion that the
vote is going to be very close here.
Our readers have doubtless already
made up their minds upon this amend
ment.
No. 3, is to provide for three-fourth
jury verdict in civil cases and allowing
women to serve on juries if they wish
TO. We see no objection to this pro-
posal
No. 4, allows twenty five per cent of
the voters to compel the governor to
cal an extra session of the legislature.
Unnecessary. Too many Legislative
sessions already.
No. 5, is a seemingly desirable child
welfare law, but the joker is that Benny
Lindsay drew this law and had the su-
preme nerve to name himself as one of
the three members of the commission.
Benny doesn't need another job at our
hands, and we vote No.
The 9th amendment is one allowing
probation in certain criminal cases of
minors and first offenders only. Prob
ably good thing. Might be worth try
ing out in these days of more human
tartan treatment of offenders against
our laws.
No. Z. is the half mill levy for better
roads. Now we want better roads, but
as the State Highway Commission has
felt it necessary to promise to spend in
each county the amount of money raised
by this levy, we fail to see how it beats
having our own commissioners levy as
large road tax as we feel that we can
afford and spending it by and through
local people. Perhaps the commission
can use it more systematically, but we
have about all the taxes we need, any
way.
However, No. s is the vicious bill of
the lot. This amazing measure is one
of the worst propositions ever put up to
the voters From the time of jefferson
a free public press has been the bull
wark of American liberties. Now this
bill proposes to make every country
newspaper public utility, to have its
advertising and subscription list, sub
ject to the control and whims of group
Of politicians in Denver
If ever law was aimed at the free
dom Of the press it is found in this in
iquitous measure, and it hardly seems
possible that rightminded people will
ever ask it be Incorporated in the law
of this state. The measure upon which
the people are asked to vote reads as
follows:
Every newspaper printed. published
and circulated in the state Of Colorado
is hereby declared TO be public utility.
The business Of printing or circulating
such newspaper in the state Of Colorado
is hereby declared 10 be a public service
and affected with public interest. All
persons, associations Of persons, cOrpOr-
ations. joint stock companies and cor
pOratiOns engaged in printing, publish
ing or circulating such newspaper or
are hereby declared to be
engaged in a public service and affected
with public interest Each and every
such newspaper tincluding all rates for
advertising and other
charges for servicesl and each and
every such business, such person, such
of persons, such copartner-
ship, such joint stock company and such
corporation is hereby declared TO be
subject to al the laws Of the state Of
Colorado relating to the regulation or
control of public utilities or those en-