Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1916-07-13
LEADERS FOR sTATEIRELIEF MEASURES
SOME PROBLEMS IN GOVERN.
MEhT WHICH TENNESSEE
MUST SOLVE.
Fear That constitutional Convention
VIII Make Matters Worse 10
Groundiess.
BY n. s. KEERLER.

~ ~. y. NEE bLEhs
II Is not the task OF those who ad
vocate . constitutional convention in
Tennessee to expound, In advance Of
the discrimination 10 hold conYen
ton, their own peculiar views OF how
the Constitution should be altered
Every intelligent citizen In the State
will agree that we need, in some re.
spects at least, new Constitution.
But all will not agree upon what mat.
tiers should be changed, nor how. Iu
every State there are radicals and
conservatives. When our Convention
is held there will no doubt be those
who, seeing that violent malady has
seized upon our body polite, will ad.
vocate vigorous measures of relief.
Others will advocate smilder treat
ment. Upon few measures all will
agree. Upon few, no two will thor
oughly agree. Upon most, the major
I ity will agree. All life Is series Of
compromises.
There are few people who know
that our Constitution is ANTICIPATED,
but who fear that Convention will
only make matters worse. This att.
tude Is open to several objections. In
the first place. 1t would scarcely be
possible to alter our Constitution for
the worse. Secondly, It is unreason-
able to believe that Convention in
1884 or 1870 could draft Constitu-
ton better suited to our needs than
we can, who live In world of which
our forbears never knew or dream.
ed. Thirdly, every proposal OF the
constitutional convention is to be sub
mitted separately to the people, so
that they can thwart the machina.
lions of political tricksters. Fourth
iy, under democratic government
the people should have at all times
the right to alter or abolish their
form of government, whether for bet
ter or for worse We shall not draft
perfect document. Neither did the
conventions of 1896 or 1884 or 1870.
But we can do our best, and we shall
profit by our errors.
II Is we'll that we should realize
the problems confronting the State
which can be solved only by consti-
tutional changes and which we or our
children must solve If we would hope
to rise out of the mire into which we
have fallen
We must determine whether we
cannot alter the powers and emolu-
ments of our public officers, and their
manner of election and removal, 50
as to secure the participation OF
more capable class of citizens in our
public affairs.
We must determine whether we
shall admit women to position Of po
litical equality with men,
We must determine whether we
shall not remove from politics those
offices which involve merely ministe-
rial functions and not policies Of gov
eminent
We muse determine whether we
shall not allow our municipalities TO
govern themselves in all matters of
internal economy.
We must determine whether our
can not be reorganized
more efficiently.
We must determine whether we
shall not give our Governor greater
powers of administrative control
We must determine whether we
shall not simplify and unity our sys-
tenn of judicial administration. as
and some of our sister states
have done.
We must determine whether we
shall adopt the initiative, the refen.
endum and the recall.
We must determine whether our
system Of taxation shall not be
changed so as to stimulate agricul.
ture and industry.
We must determine whether the
people of Tennessee shall not here.
after be able TO amend their Consti.
tuition more readily than in the past.