Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-12-02
REFORMS OUTLINED
/. BY GEN: cARRANzA
Constitutional Changes He
Hopes for Cited in Address
Before Congress.
WOULD FREE JUDICIARY

QUERETARo. Friday, December 1,
via Mexico City, December I'm his
address before the constitutional con-
gress tonight Gen. carranza outlined
the reforms he. hoped to- see embodied
in. the Constitution. He said, in part:
Il come to deliver. into your hands
reforms necessary for this country.
Right must regulate all elements of
society. The. constitution of 1857 was
the result of great upheaval. but it
proclaimed only the general principles
of reform. without putting them into
practical form, 50 that they are of only
nominal value. and it is not possible to
administer the government with this
constitution. The history of the coun-
Try gave ample data to demonstrate
this. ...
i promise to conserve the liberal
spirit of the old constitution, so that
the new reforms will merely eliminate
the dead wood, throw light on obscure
art1cles and strike. out articles put
IN by former governments for personal
advantage. The constitution must not
erect artificial barriers between the
state and the individual. and the power
given must not be greater than that
OF tne people VINO. eStabilSn H.
For Individual Liberty.
What is desired first of ALI is to es-
tablish the rights of the people to in
dividual liberty. Human liberty must
be guarant to prevent the govern
.ment from taking advantage of the
excuse of maintaining peace in order to
commit crimes
THE old constitution was not strong
enough. to do this. as the liberty of the
individual was al the mercy of eXecu-
tiVes. | hope the new constitution will
provide severe penalties for wrong
doing on the part of public. officials and
make them responsible for their acts.
Judges, heretofore only the tools of
governors. should have the power to
Investigate and punish wrongdoing of
governors. Guarantees for prisoners
worthless. Prisoners have been at the
mercy of judges and third degree
methods. They should be allowed bonds
and a limit should be fixed TO the time
trials may be delayed.
Good lawyers should be provided for
the INDECENT and no arrests should be
made without evidence sufficient to
Justify them.
The old Constitution provided for
the right of the government to occupy
property for public benefit without the
consent of the owners by paying an in
demnity for the same. This is sufficient
to allow the government to take large
estates and distribute them among
small owners, so that the only reform
necessary in that part of the old law
is to provide that condemnation may
be only by executive authority and that
judges-may deal only with Indemnity.
AS to Aliens Rights. ..
" ask you to consider whether it is
necessary to have every foreigner who
obtains title to real property resign
treaty rights with respect to sucf,
property. and conform to Mexican laws
''One object of the new reforms is to
assist labor. and we. should set mini
mum wages and maximum hours.
Il advocate divorce law which will
place the family on the. basis of love-
not pecuniary. interests. The national
ity of children born in Mexico to for
eigners should be clearly defined
You must consider whether the vote
should be given to- all or limited by
educational or property qualifications
/ think the. vote should go to all, blu,
that it should be taken from those
look with Indifference on. the affairs
of the republic.
Public instruction must receive at
tention. because knowledge insures
against either anarchy or Dictatorship
On the organization of the executive
power will depend that the Legislative
branch shall not become an instru-
ment of the executive Free discus
sion without following instructions Of
the executive or of governors must be
assured the legislatures. but they must
not be given sufficient power to curb