Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-05-02
new CONSTITUTION.
Some Good Reasons Why It Should Be
Worked Over and Changed.

Twenty-one years ago Tennessee
voted on holding a Constitutional Con.
vention and defeated it by over 100. OO(
votes. Last year we voted on the
question again and defeated 1t by a
small majority, some $500; and yet SO
Imperative was the necessity for prog.
ress and reform IN Tennessee that the
Legislature bias wisely provided for q
resubmission of the question on July
~. It is now hoped and believed that
every county in the State Will this
time favor the Convention.
1t was defeated last year because
people were not properly Informed and
because the Republicans objected to
the basis of representation. This tune
the basis has been changed to meet all
objections and every one will have
ample opportunity to learn the press
ing needs for constitutional amend
ment.
THE PLAN.
We vote July % on the angle propo-
sition of whether we shall hold a
Convention to formulate amendments
to the Constitution. If carried, we
will. sixty days later. elect 1877 ele-
gates; and only men of the largest
mental calibre, with character to
match, should be considered for this
high honor. The place should seek the
nam. not the man the place. 1t will
be the greatest opportunity for exalted
public service with the present genera
ton. The selections should he wholly
non-partlsan.
The delegates will meet at the Capt.
tol October 80, 1917; and they will for
mulate such amendments az In their
wisdom and judgement are needful.
After the Convention adjourrs these
proposed amendments will all be print
ed on ballot, Ito be voted on sepa-
rately by the people, SO that the
voters of the State will have the final
say, and can approve such amendments
as they deem wise and prudent and
vote down any they deem unwise.
This IS the fairest plan ever devised
for holding Constitutional Convention
and it should dlsarm all opposition and
gam the support OF every voter IN the
State.
Each county has at least one dele
gate and of the total number in the
Convention, those counties which con-
tain cities elect IS and the counties
that do not contain cities elect 81; go
that both control in the Convention and
the decision at the bollot box on the
day of ratification rests with tho farm
ers and their business and professional
friends in the nearby towns. But
when we remember how very conserva- |
tive these men are, the danger Is not
that the Convention will 90 too far IN
proposingS reforms, but rather that it
will not go far enough.
WHY NEEDED.
Thomas jefferson said that the
States would need to revise their Con-
stit0tions about every generation. but
We refuse to heed hts aansnitlen. In
12l years Tennessee has only held three
conventions, 1855. 1884. 1870; and the
last one dealt mainly With issuss grew
ing out Of the civil war. 20 that we are
today practically living under the Con-
etitutiOn Of 1884.
That instrument was we'll adapted to
its generation. but we have long since
outgrown It.
Our foretather of So years ago made
a Constitution for themselves. not for
US; and we should now make one for
ourselves-not for the people of A. ID.
1000.
In 1894 the State had but small
population, engaged mainly IN agricul-
ture, no railroads, no telegraph or tele-
phone, no manufacturing. no great cor
porations, little commerce. Since then
our social life has been completely 1
revolutlonized. We live IN the white
light OF the twentieth century. under a
complex civilization, IN an age of mar
veIous industrial activity. "We live
tor our own AEGEAN age when an old
world is passing away. . new world
coming IN But IN our political life
we refuse to concede the law OF evolu-
ton or admit the necessity for govern
mental progress and reform We are
like a man who still cuts his coat in
the style of 1886, when Andrew John. {