The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1914-10-29
MANY VOTERS GET LETTERS
Amendments Declared to be Dangerous
and to Offer Excellent Opportunity
For Great Increase in the Expenses
Of the State Government.

Organized effort is being made in Ke-
nosha to show the reasons for voting
against the proposed amendments to the
state constitution and to this end scores
Of letters have been sent to the electors
pointing out the dangers of the pro-
posed amendments. AS the amend
ments have been given great boost
in the state campaign book-and it is
claimed that this has been done with
out warrant of law people who feel
that the amendments should not be
passed have sent out the letters to
counterbalance the work Of the poll
ticians at Madison. There are ten of
the amendments and the letters sent
to Kenosha county voters today urge
that all Of them be defeated. Here is
the letter and it is worthy of consid-
Grafton of every voter who expects to
vote on the proposed changes of the
basic law of the state.
''The voters of the state are called
upon to vote upon ten amendments to
the state constitution at the November
election.
Of the ten, there is but one, known
as the Home Rule amendment, which
deserves consideration. The others, if
passed, will mean a perpetuation of the
freak legislation which has fused the
high taxes in this state, and open the
door for additional laws along the same
line.
The order in which these amendments
appear in the official election notice is
as follows:
No. |. To give the state the right
to enter into the insurance business,
and removing all limitations and re-
strictions of the constitution upon that
subject. 1t should be beaten. It is the
most vicious and the most dangerous
idea ever suggested. 1t opens the way
for extravaganza and possible financial
ruin of the state.
No. 2. Provides for the recall of
elective officers, except judges. Imprac-
tical and nuisance, as it means fire.
quent elections. Should be beaten
No. 8. Provides that the state CON
stitution may be amended by an af-
firmatiye vote of three-ffths of the
members of one legislature and sub
mission to the people. One of DR.. Nc
Carthy's pet schemes. Makes amend
ing the constitution an easy matter.
Should be defeated.
No. A. The Home Rule amendment.
Gives cities and villages the right to
adopt and amend their own charters,
without restricting them by the general
charter law. Should be studied very
carefully as it gives vice powers to
aldermen.
Nos. and 6. The initiative and
referendum. Illogical, Impractical and
failure wherever it has been tried in
this country. Socialistic in the extreme.
Means more elections and minority
rule. Should be voted down.
No z. Increases the salaries of mem
bers of the legislature from $500 a
term of two years to $500 year for
each two year term. Tn the light of
the fact that state expenses have in
creased from 100000 to $4,000, 900
year in twelve years, this added ex-
pense will be brrdensome. Vote it
down.
No. s. Provides that city may pur-
| chase land for public use, if it adjoins
property which has heretofore been
purchased. This means, if passed, a
law authorizing the purchase of land
in the city of Madison to enlarge the
capitol park, at an expense to the tax
payers of the state of $3,000,000. If
you want to spend your money to give
Madison beautiful park, vote for it;
if not, vote it down.
| No. 8. Gives the legislature author.
! ity to increase or decrease the number
| of Judicial circuits. Should be de.
feated
! No. TO- Another insurance amend
ment, like No. !, except that it adds
the word annuities. = The same
waving of all constitutional safe
guards as in No. l. Must be voted
down.
This is the order in which these
amendments appear on the official cleo
ton notice. How they will appear up
on the ballot is yet question. The
Home Rule amendment ought to be
headed: Section ga of Article XII,