The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-04-27

Ride Hobbies
Washington.-The agitation in con
greSS for the passage of n resolution
submitting 10 the states an equal suf-
frage amendment to the federal consti-
tuition has directed attention to the
many attempts that are being made &c
change or supplement- the fundamental /
law of the land. Every now and then |
q resolution of this character is drop |
ped into the hopper in congress, but it |
is not until tIse entire batch is collected |
and laid out in review that one is inn |
pressed with their real significance
There have been periods Of unrest |
and agitation before. but never has |
such a variety of changes been pro
/ posed To congress rs now. Many Off
cials in Washington even would be
surprised to learn that there are forty
+ resolutions pending before congress
providing for changes in the federal
constitutions
The amendcrs want to change almost
I everything the executive. legislative
and judicial departments of the gov.
ernment-and they want to write into
things that cannot he interfered with
by any part of the government. They
want to settle things for all time. and
the strange feature is that many of the
proposed changes were considered 10y
the fathers and rejected as out of har-
mony with the scheme of government
which they We're seeking to establish.
OF all the propositions Of this charac-
ter now before congress that of Repre-
/ sentative Booittle of Kansas is prob
ably the most unique. lie proposes TO
amend article : of the federal constitn-
ton.
He has n method for the recall of jul
: diciaI decisions 10y referendum to the
! state legislatures and not to the pco-
p pie. Mr. Doolittle is Democrat and
/ governor of Virginia.
= Representative LafTcrty. Democrat.
II from Oregon. suggests an amendment
Il by which proposed amendments To the
Il constitution may he submitted To the
' states IN - majority vote of the two
houses Of congress and be ratified bv
d. two thirds of the states
i. Representative HardwiCk of Georgia
h proposes the repeal Of the fifteenth
,- amendment aud all after the first sen
It tcnce i'm the fourteenth amendment. 81
= that all ne would have remain of those
Il two celebrated amendments would he
~ the declaration that all persons born
II or naturaIized in the United States and
~ subject 80 the jurisdiction thereof are
= citizens Of the United States and the
l., state wherein they reside"
r. Another group of proposed coustitu-
if tional amendments is directed at the
s. courts. Representative Cullop. Demo
n crat, from Indiana. proposes that all
Judges of the supreme court Of the
United States shall be elected ut Il
Y presidential election. four of whom
e. shall serve for four years and five for
$ eight years. After that first election
re the term of the judges shall be eight
or years, The court shall elect a chief
Il justice. clerk and marshal, and theil
'h terms shall be four years
=" Representative Hull of Tennessee
-, proposes to amend the constitution ano
III give congress power to abolish any i'll
ferior court of the United States an,
49, To remove any judges of such court:
by two-thirds vote Of both houses.
= Representative Raker Of California
Democrat. proposes an amendment tina
X the judicial power of the United State
eo shall not be construed to extend to an,
y suit i'm law or equity commenced o
-. prosecuted against any state by citi
~ Zens of another state or by citizens o
he subjects of foreign state or by reason
es Of the citizenship of any corporation.
on Mr.. Raker wants To keep the Japa
Y. nese question out of the United State
W courts and leave that whole question
rs, TO California
Representative Nelson of Wisconsin
- Republican, wants an amendment giy
ing congress the power to define, pre-
vent and suppress monopolies, con
binations and agreements in restrain
of trade.
II Representative EdmondS. Repul
I lican from Philadelphia. suggests tina
Congress be empowered to establiS
uniform laws of marriage and divorc
rnd provide penalties for violation {
| the same.
Representative Peters. Il Dcmocrf
of Massachusetts, proposes to give COZ
gress the power 10 regulate the bus
hess or commerce of insurance through
nut the United States and its terri
tories and possessions
Representative Henry, Democr'
IL from Texas. proposes an amendment
II change the date Of Inauguration Of Il
president TO the last Thursday in APP
and the date For the assembling of 90
gress to the second Tuesday in ia
tary.
Prohibition is the subject Of Il
n other group Of amendments. Senat
81 Works of California proposes to pr
mn hibit in the United States the SaI
mi 4 manufacture and importation of d
Wt tiled liquors containing alcohol exec
lsI FOR mechanical. scientific AMI medicin