The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1916-05-04
EX-GOVERNOR ON CAUSE OF
HIGH TAXES AND AMEND
ING CONSTITUTION
Letter to Justices of Supreme Court on Methods
Amending State Constitution Majority of
Electors Can "Ratfy' Amendment

Of the state for electors of President
and Vice President of the United
States, or Representative in Congress,
for Judges of the Supreme Court and
District Courts, and for Senators Rep
resentatives and all State Officers"
1t will be observed that no pro-
vision is made for the canvass of votes
cast on the various questions which
the constitution provides shall be sub
mitted to the people. Sec. /. Article
VIII, of our state Constitution pro-
videS as follows Sec. 1. 1.-THE legis-
lature shall not In any manner create
any debt or debts, liability or liabili-
ties, which shall singly or in the aggre-
gate, exclusive of the debt of the ter
ritory at the date of its admission as
state exceed the sum of one and one
half per centum upon the assessed
value of the taxable property in the
state, except in case of war, to repel
an invasion, or suppress insurrection,
unless the same shall be authorized by
law or some single object or work
to be distinctly specified therein, etc,
etc, but no such law shall take effect
until at general election it shall
have been submitted to the people, and
shall have received majority of all
the votes cast for and against is at
such election"
Section 3, of the same Article pro-
vides as follows Sec. 3, mo county,
city, town, township, board of educa-
ton, school district, or other subdi-
/ visions Of the state, shall incur any
Indebtedness, or liability, in any man
ner, or for any purpose, exceeding in
that year the income and revenue pro-
vided for it for such year, without
the assent of two-thirds of the quail
fled electors thereof voting at an cleo
tion held for that purpose"
Section III, Article X, of the same
instrument provides as follows: Sec
III, THE legislature may submit the
question of the location of the seat of
government to the qualified voters of
the state at a general election, and a
majority of all the votes upon said
question cast at said election shall be
necessary to determine the location
thereof"
Section II, Article XVIII, provides
that "No county seat shall be removed
unless two thirds of the qualified cleo
tors of the county voting on the prop
osition at a general election shall vote
in favor of such removal"
The trainers of the constitution OF
Idaho, as shown by the foregoing sec
tions, clearly intended that to accom-
plish certain purposes a majority OF
all the electors voting in the affirm
ative was necessary, while for other
purposes only a majority of all the
votes cast for and against 1t at an
election is sufficient.
n.
ment confronting a board of canvas
sers, either state or county, who are
required by law to canvass the votes
cast at an election on a question re
quiring a majority of all the qualified
electors to determine, when they have
no record at hand showing the mum
ber of qualified electors in the dis
trict, county, or state, as the require
ment may demand. In fact there Is NJ
provision in our Code for the canvass
of a vote on the questions named, ant
. certainly the State Board of Canvas
sers could not determine whether
majority of the qualified electors ii
the state had voted in the affirmative
or otherwise on any question requiI
ing such electors there are in TIN
, state
With the foregoing in mind ant
without intent to censure any perso
T for sins of omission or commission
. place these defects in our statute
) before you, and most respectfully re
quest that you report the same to th
I governor as the constitution provides
with such suggestions as you thin
: wise, in the matter of legislation neet
S Continued on page 81