The Springdale news., 1918-08-23
By Clio Harper.

L1tCle HOch, Aug. lv.--hH Slioie i1 to be made to finish the work of the Constitutional Convention this week An effort was made last week to ad- journ until the third Monday in No vember to enable the members to give some attention to personal matters so long neglected, to attend court, and to talk with the people about he Constitution. But 1t failed as enough more than working quo- rum promised to stay until the work could be completed.
 Since the 26th day of July, the members and the employees of the Convention have been working with out pay, and paying their own ex- penses. While many can afford to make the sacrifice, there are some who cannot, and they have remained on the job at a real and genuine sacrifice There are number of men who have been most faithful, never having missed roll-cali, while there is a small minority that has been indifferent and apathetic. At least one delegate has been present only two days of the fifty, and there are several who are so frankly lndlf- ferent that they have not been pres ent to exceed ten days in all. These delinquencies, however. do not detraet from the strength of the document that is being drafted. The Conven- tion last week sent out a distress call to the absentees, calling upon them to return this week to take the place of those who are compelled to be away. There were twenty three letters sent.
 As had been predicted, the subject of taxation was the rock upon which the Convention came near splitting. Fourteen days of debate and discus sion, amendment and amendation, sub stitution and reconsideration, did not appe ar to bring the discordant fac tions any nearer together. Everybody was willing to eomprorise-but as a rule, each ore insisted that the com promise must ie on his terms.
 There were .Wo extreme schools, one insisting upon the l~oadest legia a. tive freedom for classification of property for taxation, the othe" in sisting upon absolute restrictions that would hold the Legislature down to an unyielding equality for all conceivable classes of property. Between these two extremes, there are various hob bies, and theories, and more or less nebulous ideas advocated by smaller groups. Numerous schemes have been advanced, adopted, reconsidered, re- jeeted, revived, and re-adopted, In a groping after the truth. While the Convention has been criticised by some for it's predileetion toward reconsider ation, that very fact has been accept ed by many as the safety-valve of the body, on the theory that mature sec ond thought is often more nearly right than snap judgment.
 And so the subject of Taxation has been threshed over and over, and one day in desperation, a majority of the the Convention agreed to adopt the old Constitution and let it go at that. So far, so good. Then other members began tacking on amendments, and very soon even the sacred instrument of 1874 had become a patchwork that could not be recognized, and the dele gations, confused and uncertain of position of the inquisitive Congress man who insisted upon knowing Where we are at ?" And no satisfac- tory answer was forthcoming.
 It was in this temper of unrest and ill-humor, and petulence that sin cere effort was made to adjourn for two or three months and go home to cool off and recover their equilibrium. As matter of fact, 1t is due very StlS u titt NtdluGI anu 1it pCtl- cose germs i'll the air. It is difficult to make people think about much else beside the war As a matter of cold, hard facts, they have not been taking any great, overwhelming interest in the work of this Convention. There will be strong campaign conducted for it's adoption, probably led by Gov Brough, and majority of the mem bers themselves will be expected to ad- voeate actively the ratification of their handiwork.
 In this way, the. good features of the Constitution can be made known and emphasized, and the public can be made to understand that the in- strument really represents much hard work and intelligent application, as we'll as an honest and sincere desire to write document worthy the sup port of the people.
 Which reminds us that the stage is being set Cor the Fourth Liberty Loan Drive, to be followed by another Y. NJ
 c. A. drive, while there is in progress