Omaha daily bee., 1917-01-26
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Methods of Constitution Changing.

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Methods of Constitution Changing.
Heartwell, Neb., Jan. 25.-To the
Editor of The Bee: The voters OF
Nebraska put Nebraska dry" What
per cent of the voters will it take to
put the state wet" again and how
soon can it be voted again? l have
asked this question and some tell me
it takes two-thirds Of the votes to get
it wet again, while others say a ma
jority will do. Which is correct?
Please enlighten me.
A READER OF THE BEE.
Note: An amendment adopted by
what is called the initiative" method
can be rescinded in precisely the same
way, but in this case not before 1920,
as the constitution prohibits bringing
up the same subject by initiative in
the next succeeding election. On the
other hand, it is probable, though not
yet judicially established, that
an initiative could likewise be
repealed by the other methods
permitted by the constitution
namely, the submitting of a
resembling amendment by the legis-
lature, or by a resembling section in
a new constitution framed by con-
stitutional convention. The number
of votes required is different in each
case. For an initiated amendment it
is majority of the votes cast on the
proposition, which majority vote must
also be not less than IS per cent OF
the total vote cast at the election. For
a legislature-subm amendment
it must be a majority equal to ma
jority of the total vote cast for mem
bers Of the legislature. For a consti-
tutional convention-submitted amend
ment 1t must be majority of those
votes for and against the same.
Say aIet the People Rule"
Omaha, Jan. 25.-To the Editor Of
The Bee: Woman suffrage was de-
feated in Nebraska two years ago by
over 10000 votes. The suffragists
have Just introduced a suffrage bill
in the legislature They are ignoring
the will Of the majority in so doing.
We have good reasons to suppose that
if a referendum vote of the women of
Nebraska was taken on this question
there would be an overwhelming ma
jority against it. How many suffra-
gists are there in Nebraska and whom
do they represent? We know that
the vast majority Of women are either
actively opposed or Indifferent to
woman suffrage. Will the forcing Of
this question on an Indifferent cleo
torate make for efficiency in govern
ment?
The suffrage bill just introduced
provides only for women voting on
presidential electors and municipal
officers. This would plunge women
into national politics. The former
state president of the Nebraska Suf-
frage association naively admits this
by announcing that the bill is intro
duced largely for the effect eight more
electoral votes would have on the ma
tional woman suffrage question. What
becomes of the remedial legislation
for Nebraska in which the suffragists
have heretofore claimed to be so vital
ly interested? The only way to get
remedial legislation Is by the election
of men who will work for such legis-
lation, but this suffrage bill does not
provide for the election of legislators
by the women, nor does it provide
for the election of the governor of the
state.
The suffragists are actively engaged
in trying to lobby this bill through the
legislature, regardless of the majority
against suffrage expressed at the polls
and regardless of the opposition and
wishes Of the women of the state.
These are the tactics employed by the
women Of Illinois when suffrage was
lobbied through the legislature there
in direct opposition to the will of the
majority.
- NEBRASKA ASSN OPPOSED
TO WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
A Rap on the Reference Agencies.
Omaha, Jan. 25.-To the Editor of
The Bee: We want to call the atten-
ton of the business men in Omaha
who patronize agencies when in need
of Office and clerical help, to the in
justice they are doing their employees.
The reference people claim that they
save you valuable time, that they in
yestigate the applicants and write to
former employers and get the facts,
but we beg to advise you that this
is not SO. An applicant can drop
into the reference company's office to
register for position and should your
call for help be on file the company
will rush said applicant to you at
once. No looking up references there.
Nor do you take the applicant on the
word of the reference companies, for