The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-21

III tne llBHl OF MT. bId'httl huiS
nant protest, it is positively funny to
read in a leading Democratic daily
newspaper an argument to prove that
the new constitution ought to be
beaten at the polls because 1t is a
partisan constitution designed to per-
petuate the political power Of the up
State Republican machine"
1t is hard to figure out how any
Democratic newspaper can expect to
fool its readers into believing that the
new constitution is the product of
Republican partisanship, in the face
Of the records OF the votes in the con-
vention and the expressions by lead
ing Democratic delegates during the
debates at Albany.
The. records OF the convention are
open and the people cannot long be de-
celved as to the character and spirit
Of its work. The fact is that a con-
vention OF l6s delegates spent four
and a half months, first in listening to
the views OF delegations, organized
bodies and iadividual citizens respect
irg conditions calling for change in
the fundamental law; next, in the
consideration OF upward OF 500 pro-
posed amendments TO the Constitution,
and then in the formulation in COM
mittee OF measures which were report
ed to the convention and there de-
bated. in free, open, intelligent dis
c~ussion, leading finally TO the adoption
OF thirty-three amendments which are
recommended to the approval of the
people. Included among these are a
rumber OF measures which have been
advocated in the platforms of both po-
litical parties, such as the short ballot,
the State budget, home rule for cities
and reform OF judicial procedure.
Doubtless, as Senator Root suggest
ed in his closing address to the con-
vention, any one might sit down in his
library ard write a far shorter and
simpler constitution. which would
read well and perhaps better fit the
abstract needs of the State than the
revised constitution now recommend
ed. But this one is written TO meet
the requirements OF ten million people,
in the light OF an experience OF 1875
years of existence as a State. Many
evils have developed since the Con-
stitution of 1894, which the new con-
stitution seeks to meet by positive and
expression OF many more details 10
meet such a condition than would be
required IL a constitution were being
written for a new Commonwealth.
The chaos that characterizes the
general structure of the government"
writes one OF the latest critics of the
Constitution ard government of the
State of New York, runs through the
executive department and all OF its
qualifications. ''' II is quite clear
that the problem presented here in
wolves more than a mere reimbursement
Of parts-a Encouragement of powers
and of departments, bureaus and divi-
sions of the administration. In fact
II goes to the very root OF the whole
system of government"
The convention grappled coura-
geously with that problem. The amend
ments which it has proposed go ITO
the very root OF the whole system of
government" They seek TO end the
chaos that now characterizes the gem
eral structure OF the government
They seek to couple power with re-
sponsibility-"oficial leadership IN the
formulation of policies and the con-
centration of public opinion at cleo
tons on the work OF the government
already done or omitted and work pro-
posed for the future To accom-
plish this requires more provisions
than otherwise would he expected in
a constitution. But IL the new instru-
ment be carefully examined it will
be found TO express on the whole with
succinctness n clarity the ruler
which are to govern the action of the
electorate, its representatives and It's
servants of different classes in the
future conduct OF the State.
Doubtless fault can and will bt
found with many of the provisions il
the new constitution. There are
always opponents Of Il change
There are always critics who com
plain that much better provision,
might have peer made. But 1t may
be safely asserted that no more com
prehensive effort boldly to meet anC
remedy evils that have developed II
the practical workings Of a Stat,
government has been made; that n,
more onward looking plan of i'm
provement eve has been submitted
5 by IA constitutional convention to tn,
> approval of the electorate thar /,
( embodied in the revised Constitution
of 1915.
GEORGE w. WICKERsHAM.
\ BRETON WOODS, n, IL, September Is