The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-07
FEW CHANGES DESIRED
Constitution Could Be Easily and
Quickly Revised.

To the Editor of the State Journal:
would like to have a bill of par
tculars from some one who is advo-
eating a constitutional convention.
The advocates of a new constitution
deal in glittering generalitieS.
The executive provisions are crit
icised on account of so many elective
offices being created. With the office
OF state printer there are eight elect
i've offices. The legislature has Gre
ated many others and it can abolish
them at it's will. Suppose you make a
constitutional limit of two or three
and prohibit future legislatures from
creating any more? Then you abridge
the rights of the people in providing
for future contingencies. But let US
grant that an amendment is desirable
and designate this as section one of
our bill of particulars.
Now of the Legislative" department.
The criticism is that the body is too
large. The legislature may now cut
the number of representatives to one
hundred. The senate can be made as
small as you would care to ask. The
people do not seem to be loudly call
ing for a smaller body or they would
perhaps get it. They do not need an
amendment to get a considerable cut.
But let us put this down as section two
of our bill of particulars.
OF the judicial department the OBJ
lection is that the judges should not
be elective. The people can not be
trusted with the selection. Perhaps
we might get better judges by appoint
ment, yet it is a notorious fact that
some of our most Objectionable judges
were selected by appointment. Then
it would probably be folly to submit a
constitution to the voters which pro-
vided for the appointment of their
judges. Yet let us put this down as
section number three of our bill of
particulars.
In the elections department I
have heard of no demand for a
change. Neither for public institu-
tons excepting some interested per-
sons who would have all our educa-
tiona1 institutions combined at Man
haitian or Lawrence or at Emporia.
No crying need for a change in the
militia" provisions.
Now as to county organization -
Here is a fruitful field for the critic
The state, county and city manager
fad now has its innings. 1t is an I'M
| tried scheme except in few instances
and ought not to be constitutionally
adopted anywhere till thoroly tested
| by time II can be tried out by leg
| islative provisions whenever the peo-
pie want it. There are but three con-
stitutional county offices outside of
the county commissioners-the clerk
! of court, the probate judge and county
superintendent The legislature can
abolish all others and make any one
or all three of these officers county
mana gers. We need not fasten onto
pcsterity any constitutional provision
/ in this matter. If the new scheme is
desirable let the legislature act. We
need no section in our bill of particu-
lars on this question.
Next we come to Finance and
Taxation" The bugaboo in this arti-
Gle is the provision for "a uniform
and equal rate of assessment and
| taxation" Those words seem so just
and fair that at first blush we might
wonder why there should be any OBJ
| jections. Some folks who do object
are almost afraid to tell the reason