The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-01-13
TIED THE HANDS OF VOTERS
Attorney General Brewster Explains
How Difficult 1t Is to Call Con-
stitutfonaI Convention.

Topeka.-The men who framed the
original constitution of Kansas never
intended that it should be changed by
constitutional convention. They put
a joker into the basic law of the state
that practically makes it necessary to
amend the constitution before an at
tempt is made to have a constitutional
convention.
That is the view OF S. NJ Brewster,
attorney general, in an opinion given
to Prof. F. W. Blackmar of the state
university. A constitutional conven-
ton is four years off at least. The
legislature that meets in ten days can
make only recommendation that one
be held. The shortest cut to effective
changes in the constitution, according
to the attorney general, is to amend
the section Of the present instrument
which prohibits more than three
amendments being submitted at a sim
gle election.
The only thing the 1917 legislature
can do is by two-thirds vote make
recommendation that Kansas needs
new constitution and the people of the
state, at the election in 1918 will vote
whether or not accept the recommen-
dalton. And in that vote there is
trouble ahead.
An ordinary constitutional amend
ment can be carried by a simple ma
jority vote. There has never been a
constitutional amendment adopted in
Kansas by majority OF all the votes
cast in the election.
+ + +
Kansas Peace Day January %.
The executive committee of the Kan
sas branch of the League to Enforce
Peace, at it's meeting here recently.
fixed January % as Peace Day in Kan
sas. Every minister is to be asked
to preach sermon on peace and the
plans of the league and urge church
goers to become members OF the Kan
sas branch. Kansas Day, January 20,
the school teachers in every Kansas
school are to adjourn the regular work
at o'clock and devote the next hour
to peace discussions by the school
children.
+ r i.
The stricken miners families at
Stone, Kas., are being well cared for,
according to DR.. w. A Brandenburg
of Pittsburg, custodian of the relief
fund. When the twenty miners were
killed in a mine explosion there re-
Gently their families were left in des-
titute circumstances. An appeal was
issued and DR.. Brandenburg says that
more than $4,000 has been donated to
the fund. OF this amount the coal
miners of Kansas donated more than
$4,000. The rest came from other
| parts of the state.
r + +
Would Abolish Ali JaiIs.
Prof F. W. Blackmar OF the Univer-
sity OF Kansas, in recent report to
Governor Capper, urged that four GEN.
trail penal colonies be organized in
Kansas for the Jail prisoners. He
would abolish all county and city iails,
except temporary ho1dovers.
other States Interested.
Thirteen states besides Kansas are
vitality interested in the threatened
fight on state publication of text
books in the coming session OF the
Kansas legislature.
1. r r
Battery A Arrives Home.
Battery A, Topeka's crack military
organization, has arrived home from
the border. They were mustered out
at Fort Riley in the morning and
reached here during the afternoon.
The troops were given homecoming
banquet at the Chamber of Commerce.
r + +
Capper Appoints HoIdrea.
Joseph W. Holdren OF independence
has been appointed by Governor Cap
per as judge OF the Montgomery coun-
ty district court to succeed Judge 7. J.
Flannelly. resigned.