The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1914-10-24

body in the form of concurrent res
olutions. These resolutions, after
reference to and report by the prop
er committee, must be read and
adopted in that house of the Leg
islature in which they originate on
three separate days, receiving on
each vote a majority of,two thirds
They are sent then to the other
legislative branch. where the same
procedure must be strictly follow.
ed.
The amendments then go to the
people for ratification or rejection
at a time provided for by the Leg
isIature. In such election. there
must be a majority vote for each
amendment of all the voters par
ticipating IN the election, else its
ratification fails.
1t is of the utmost Importance.
therefore, that voters. who desire
the ratification of these amend
ments, or any of them, vote on the
amendments. as under the ruling
of our Supreme Court no vote is
counted as negative vote.
In the forthcoming November
election, we shall vote for Con-
gressmen. Circuit Court Judge and
Chancery Court Judge nominees Of
the Democratic party, and then will
follow on the ticket the full text of
the constitutional amendments pro-
pesed by the last session Of the
Legislature.
Their extreme length makes it
obvious that few voters if any,
will take the time when in the
voting booth to read these amend
ments. nor is it necessary Each
amendment has title-or rather,
the Legislative Concurrent Reso-
luton title definitely states the
purpose and character Of the
amendment. This title is accu-
rate, and the voter may depend on
it that the text of the amendment
which follows is just what its title
denotes it to be-no more and no
less.
1t will be well however. for vot-
ers who desire to act intelIigently
on the sbuject. to read the amend
ments in full before going to the
polls. and to famiIiarize themsel-
YES with the proposed change in
our organic law.
Such perusal will inform him
that the first six amendments have
for their purpose: '(l) changing
the method of choosing our supreme
court justices from appointment by
the governor TO election by the
people, and ~ increasing the
number of supreme judges from
three to SIX.
When the farmers of the con-
current resolutions came to con-
slider these changes in our supreme
court organization. it was found
necessary to draw six amendments.
SO that after the people had rati.
fed the change. should 1t he rati.
fed, there should remain in the
constitution no conflicting or con-
Trajectory sections.
While, IN our judgement, it il
desirable that all six amendments
affecting the organization Of our
supreme court should be adopted,
it is important that the voter who
may be in favor of electing Judges
but not in favor Of increasing the
number, should mark his ballot
carefully, otherwise his vote might
be contradictory Thus, If he de.
slres the election of supreme court
judges. he should vote for each oi
the first three amendments. "a
they appear on the official pubIica.
ton. and, presumably. as they vii
appear on the ticket.
If the voter believes that The
supreme court should consist df
six judges to be elected, he should
vote for the fourth, fifth and SIKH
amendments the fourth providiln
for six judges; the fifth providing
that the present provision giving
the right to party on an appeal
case to demand three judges shall
be eliminated from the constitn-
ton. and the sixth providing thai
the supreme court OF six judges
may sit in two divisions Of three
judges to thekldlvision.
We have already, recently, dis.
cussed in these columns our reagons
for urging the adoption Of the
amendments providing for six iuA-
ges.
Argument 10 favor of their
adoption may be summarized
thus
!. With the tremendous growth
Iof litigation il this state II ii q
physical impossiblity for three
supreme court judges to keep up
with the docket. The court IL noW
about two years behind
q This condition ID good for
49, e..~s<,mn&f.m s4t<fett~< UtskS