Mexico weekly ledger., 1917-02-08
GIVES SEVEN REASONS
FOR NEW CONSTITUTION

tieal joekeying marked the opening Of
the fight over the Dunn constitu-
tionaI convention bill, which provides
for the calling Of an election TO de-
termine whether eo2yeahcn SHAH
be held 70 submit a revision Of the
Missouri Constitution.
Plans were under way for several
DAYS for the holding Of joint hearing
bv Senate and House committees on
constitutional amendments, but, at
the last moment, the House commit
tee withdrew from the plan on learn
ing that members Of the Senate COM
mittee intended to bring up for con-
siderati0n as companion measures the
constitutional convention bill and the
resolution for Statewide prohibition
amendment.
Walter Williams Speaks.
At the hearing yesterday afternoon
the principal talk outlining the need
Of a new Constitution was by Walter
Williams. dean Of the School Of Jour
nalism, Of the Missouri University.
He gave seven reasons why the State
needs a new Constitution, as fol-
lows:
/. The length Of the present Con-
stitution, which contains more than
90, 900 words, while the Constitution
Of the United States contains less
than 1900.
2. Age Of the present constitution
which was adopted in 1875, when con-
ditions in every form Of business life
were different from those Of today.
3. Patchwork of the present con-
stitution, 7 amendments having-beer
submitted, since its adoption, of which
q were adopted and 81 rejected, anC
impossibility Of patching it any more.
| 4. Administration Of justice i'm.
possible in the highest and best sense
the delays in the Supreme Court be
ing due to the Constitution, and mean
ling a denial of justice to the av
erage man.
5. The restrictions on revenue ant
taxation in the present Constitution
encourage perjury and penalize hon
esty, making impossible separation
of State and local taxes, while a new
constitution would not mean an in
crease in taxes, but an equitable dis
tribution Of taxes.
| 6. Public education is hamperet
by the present constitution, there be
ing 111,000 illiterates in Missouri
which ranks thirty-third among tn
States in literacy.
T. The Constitution is an obstaclr
to progress, particularly as to a goo,
roads system, it being impossible Il
establish a good roads system for thi
benefit Of all portions Of Missouri
under the present Constitution, NJ
matter how many well-thought-Ou-
road laws are enacted.
Source of Objection
Dean Williams said that the objec
tons to a new Constitution came from
ultra-conservatiyes, the "people whit
sigh every time they get out of i;
chair" from special interests; from
people who say a new Constitution
would be framed by the representa-.
tives Of one political party; from those
who fear a new Constitution would b,
too radical, and from those who feai
it would include provisions for prohi
lbition and woman suffrage.
He said that it was the desire Of
those most active in urging the pas.
sage of the bill that the convention
should be non-political and that nc
partisan Constitution ever would be
adopted by the voters of the State
that no Constitution which did not
meet the will Of the people would be
ratified, and that the people were en-.
titled to any Constitution which met
their will.
He named many civic and business
organizations of the State which had
adopted strong resolutions endorsing
a bill for a constitutional convention
election.