Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-08-12

| lies MOlneS, aug. 1S.--H5oAhC " eAAS
advocates of constitutional prohibition
have been doing a little figuring to de-
termine in their own minds whether
there is a chance next time for the leg
| islature to again pass the joint resolu-
ton which proposes an amendment to
the constitution. It will be recalled
| that several times in the past, onS
| house or the other has passed the joint
| resolution, only to have the other de-
| feat it; or it has passed one legislature
| to be defeated at the next and thus to
have the matter kept political issue
as much as possible. Now what Is the
next legislature likely to do with the
Joint resolution coming to it from the
Thirty sixth general assembly?
In the first place, the resolution
passed the house by vote of 81, which
was So more than necessary to pass
If along to the governor and the voters
at the next election. 1t is certain,
therefore, that the house will be so
composed as to make certain the pas
sage Of the same joint resolution. 1t is
not necessary to do any guessing about
the membership of the house on that
subject. AS every one recalls. there
stood for the amendment in the house,
which was twelve more than sufficient
to secure it's passage. The votes of the
democrats cast for the measure had no
real effect whatever on its passage.
But, Of course, it is in the senate
where the test always comes. For
good many years the senates have been
so constituted and organized that pas
1T, Init ion,
constitutional prohibition was an i'm
possibility. The last session was the
exception and the resolution that was
finally sent the governor was senate
Joint resolution No. g. In the senate it re-
ceived the necessary vote to pass. Inc
constitutional majority, which Is re-
quired, is just twenty-siX. 1t received
the votes of thirty one republican sem
ators, or five more than enough 10 as
sure it's passage. 1t also received tho
votes of eight democrats. making
total of thirty nine for the measure.
one was absent.
There are fourteen of those who
voted for the joint resolution VINO arr'
hold overs and will be in the next gen.
eral assembly, of which five are dem
ocrats Probably all OF these Wou-n
again vote for the amendment. There
are seven of those who voted FOR the
Joint resolution who have been renom-
mated, one only being democrat. L.
is reasonably certain that all VIII De
reelected. That makes twenty-one III
the senate who may be counted on for
another vote for amendment. Ihere
are twenty-one of the senators Wh"
voted for the amendment who Will not
be In the next legislature.
OF those who We're absent or op
posed to the amendment in the Inlrty-
sixth general assembly six are ho!o
overs and four have been renomlnated,
six of the ten being democrats. Only
one of those who voted against the
amendment was defeated at the prl-
mary.
But if, Of the new members coming
into the senate, there snail De nFe OF
six who are prohibitionists, then pas
sage of the amendment again Will De
assured AS matter of fact IN al
least ten of the districts where the Two
opposing candidates are both new men
it will matter little which one wins, so
far as prohibition is concerned, Tor
both are for amending the constitution
In view of this situation it is morally
certain that the Thirty seventh general
assembly will put the question up to
the people to be approved or otherwise
1t will also be possible to have bill
passed providing for a special election
on the date of the next June primary
and thus to dispose of the matter a
wear from next June. This would be
but following the precedent Of the
woman suffrage amendment. There
still will remain. perhaps for the next
legislature to determine, the moote6 |
question about trying to amend Sec
ton of the constitution that is null
and void, as provided by the joint res
olution which passed the Thirty sixth
general assembly against the protests
of persons high in authority. There is a
lingering suspicion somewhere tina
this scheme to tack the amendment on
to a section already declared Of no
force did not occur by accident, but the
legislature can make it's record and
leave that for the courts TO be deter
mined in later years.
1t might appear from this that so far
as prohbitory amendment is con-
corned there is no occasion for worry
ing a to how the house or the senate
shall be organized, or the makeup of
he rornrpifteeS II is trIe that in the