The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1917-07-14
TIMES BUREAU,
AT>STATE CAPITAL.

INDIA IND, July IA.
Now that the Indiana supreme
court has taken a fall out of the
constitutional convention law and
killed it, the question is "where at
are we?"
Of course there will be no cons
titutional convention. The supreme
court settled that question. Meth
er will there be special election in
September for the election of dele
gates to the proposed constitutional
convention.
There will be no use of continuing
the registration of voters for the right
to vote at the proposed special election.
but registrations will be continued just
the same for the city elections in the
first and second class cities OF the state.
The courts decision had nothing to do
with anything except the constitutional
convention question.
The court did not pass on the ques-
tion of whether women have the right
to vote. A bill passed at the close of
the session of the legislature. intro
duceo by Senator Beardsley of Elkhart
authorized women to register so they
might vote at the special election for
delegates to the convention. The ques-
tion of whether this law was good or
bad was involved in the case just decid-
ed. but the court said that since no con-
stitutiopal convention would be held It
was unnecessary to decide whether wom-
en- had the right to vote for delegates.
Women have the right to vote at the
elections This right was not involved
in this case. Therefore, they should
continue to register in those cities that
require registration for the city cleo
tions.
However, there is said to be a plan
on foot to bring a suit to test the con-
stitutionality of the woman suffra Sc
law, but it has not yet been done. No
one seems to know where it will come
from, but there is a general belief that
it viii come
The decision of the supreme court
comes as severe disappointment TO
those persons who have been promoting
the constitutional convention PROPOSE
ton. They do not seem to have recov-
cred yet from the shock, for their pet
plan is a dead one.
The court held that the legislature
has no pawer to call a constitutional
convention unless it has been directed
by the people TO do so. 1t says that the
people voted in 1915 against calling a
constitutional convention, and that this
, decision of the people stands and is
binding on the legislature until the peo-
pie again express themselves The
power to change the constitution or to
make a new one rests with the people
the court says. and any movement in
that direction must be initiated by the
people and not by the Legislature.
Some lawyers are saying that it would
not be necessary to submit the question
of calling a convention to another ref
erendun1 election. but that il mi ght be
as effective if the people would prepare
petitions to the legislature directing it
to call convention. OF course. this
would mean that the petitions would
have to bear the signatures Of a ma
jority of the voters of the state
The element that is most tickIedSof
,, all is the liquor element, for the coll
lapse of the constitutional convention
means that they have no fears of con-
stitutional prohibition at this time
If Gov. Goodrich calls a special ses-
sion Of the Legislature it is believed the
liquor interests will attempt to repeal
the statewide prohibition law, passed
last winter. and which takes effect
April 2. 1918. IF they fail at the special
session they viii try it at the next reg
ular session. This will mean that
money viii flow in Indiana like beer
from a brewey tank. for the liquor in
terests will use eve ry possible effort
to elect wet members of the next legis-
lature. 1t is evident right now that
the drys of Indiana will have the fight
(Continued on page five)