The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-10-20

the people. If this be true, then every
farmer in the United States ought to
vote the Democratic ticket for the
rest of his natural life.
Second Judge Lamm spends much
time and labor in endeavoring to DEM
onstrate that the Gardner land bank
bill is in conflict with article XII, sec
ton 2b of the existing state constitu-
ton.
Even if the Judges construction Of
that article were correct his contenr
ton would be utterly immaterial, be-
cause the proposed amendment to the
constitution now being submitted to
the people, and which will be adopted,
grants the very power to the legisla-
ture which the Judge contends the
present constitution withholds.
The fact, however, is that article
XII. section 26, of the existing consti-
tuition has no relation whatever to
land banks. 1t applies solely to banks
of. issue, and land banks are banks
which loan money on mortgages, not
banks which issue money, Perhaps if
the Judge would read the ,opinion of
the Supreme Court in the case of At
torney-General vs. Lincoln Trust COM
many, 144 Mo, 562, It might serve to
brush away some of the cobwebs
which are now disturbing his legal
vision.
Third, the Judge broadly asserts
that the Gardner bill contains certain
defects and that the proposed consti-
tutional amendmentsis so drawn that
the defects can never be cured by any
act of the legislature.
I cannot understand how a man Of
Judge Lamm's standing and intelli,
gence can make such an assertion. 1t
is directly in the teeth of the plain
language of the proposed constitution
al amendment. l quote the section in
full:
"Section /. The general assembly
IS hereby empowered to enact spe-
cial law to create corporation to be
known as the Missouri State Land
Bank, with power to make loans on
notes secured by deeds of trust or
mortgages upon agricultural lands,
and to issue debenture bonds against
the same with all suitable and Incl
dental powers. And to enact other
special laws at the same session or at
other, sessions of the general assem-
bly, to amend and improve the said
act, or to supply omissions or correct
defects therein"
What does Judge Lamm mean by
saying that the land bank bill cannot
be amended, when the constitutional
amendment expressly authorizes the
general assembly ITO enact other spe-
cIaI laws at the same session, or at
other sessions of the general assembly
amend ard improve the said act, or to
supply omissions or correct defects
therein" A man does not have to be
highly technical lawyer to under
stand that language. A pettifogger
can understand it. A common. plain.
ordinary citizen who knows the Eng
lish tongue can understand it. A child
s years old has enough sense to know
that when the constitution declares
that the legislature shall have spe-
cific and particular power it does
thereby acquire and possess that
power.
1t is time for Judge Lamm to re-
tract his criticisms and give the peo-
pie the benefit. Of the truth. If Judge
i,amm had ever written opinions upon
the bench as utterly at variance with
law and fact as his present prejudiced
political opinion he would have been
impeached before he he'd been in of
flee six months. excuse the Judge,
whom | respect highly, upon the sole
ground that he has been so busy try
ing to keep Dickey from lifting his
judicial and political scalp that he has
not had time to read either the Gard