The Harrison times., 1915-04-03
The Bond Amendment Decision

all votes cast at the election, means
that it will be next to impossible tc
ever put the bond amendment" over
is generally admitted by friends oi
that issue. They say that such re-
quirement is practically prohibitive
in the face Of the fact that in all such
elections a great number Of people are
never interested one way or the other,
and hence do not vote Yet, under
this construction of the constitution,
they virtually vote against an amend
ment
This fact was one thing that induced
friends OF the bond amendment to in
sist that the provisions of Amendment
No. 10 repealed the constitutional re-
ouirement OF a majority Of all votes
cast They urged with much force that
It is unfair and unjust to saddle a re-
striction OF this sort upon the people
of the state, under modern conditions;
that, il a solid majority of the people
affected by the amendment, as was the
case in the municipal bond amend
ment, favored it, the constitution
should be changed accordingly,
They urged for instance, that since
the matter affected cities only, with.
out putting any obligations one way
or the other upon rural sections, it
ought to be left largely to the cities;
that in effect, it would most certainly
be, as the voters Of the rural sections,
not interested in the matter, would
not bother themselves to vote for IT,
To allow their votes to be counted
against it. would therefore, be unjust
and, in all probability, be as much
against the intention Of the voter as
tc count 1t for the measure,
1t was on this account that friends
of Amendment No. IA contended that
the initiative and referendum had re.
pealed the archaic provision of the
constitution requiring a majority Of all
votes cast, and had made the organic
law ft more sensibly the industrial
and development conditions Of the
state; that when Amendment No 10
Eaid that "any measure referred to the
people" under the |, and r, Amend
ment should receive u majority OF
those voting thereon 1t should become
effective, It meant constitutional
amendments as well as bills. Other.
wise, the amendment made absolutely
no provision for the adoption Of meas
ures initiated by II, whether bills or
amendments; for there Is not one sin
gle reference In the first section OF
Amendment No. 10 as to what major.
fly shall govern,
The Supreme Court in passing on
the bond amendment virtually said
that Amendment No, 10, when speak
ing OF the majority necessary on any
measure referred, applied only to bills
passed bv the Legislature and after
wards referred TO the people, and did
not apply TO measures Initiated
Leaving all these pros and cons for
the delightful entertainment OF read
ers at more leasurely hours when they
may want TO peruse the full opinion OF
the court and do their own rejecting
over It's conclusions, It is interesting
to note some OF tho possible effects
under the courts decision
VIII the ultimate effect be TO great.
ly rotared public improvements!
At first blush, the friends Of the
amendment who are, in fact, largely
the friends OF public improvements
and the progressive element OF tho
state, felt that the whole scheme OF
municipal progress had been deralled,
with over two million dollars worth
OF improvements in the various cities
OF tho state In process Of formation, IN
Bomo cases elections have been order
ed, II looked rather gloomy All such
elections, OF course, had to be called
on, Tho decision OF the court
estopped any further proceedings to
issue municipal bonds A few OF tho
big bonding companies talked Of lcay'
ing tho state, Numerous big coHtrac'
tors, attracted 20 the state by the keen
interest in proposed improvements,
.elt like Shaking the dust Of Arkan.
sas from their constructive heels ami
taking the next train out OF town,
Several cities whoro improvements
had been planned we're Inclined TO give
4 up, and their first impressions were
that the scheduled improvements were
knocked on the head
In less than woolJ tremendous
change had come IN sentiment, and To
date, only two cities that hOd planned
extensively under the proposed bond
issue ara not now planning just as VI
Roroualy to 30 ahead under the former
Improvement district plan one city
proposes to make lts improvements by
donations from tho business men II
not through the district method
Everywhere there IA buoyant feeling
aud certain signs that little thing
like n Supreme Court decision VIII