The Washington herald., 1918-06-11

There Is much difficulty in amend
ment of the ordinary state consti-
tuition, SO some other people believe,
There are people who believe. how
ever. that these affairs should be even
harder Of amendment and that II We
are to have any public document of
ordinary sacredness the Constitution
Of the States and of the nation should
be that document.
The initiative has provided the ham
diest weapon yet for the people TO
use in amendment of their Constitu-
tions-and an Investigation into the
acts OF States where the initiative
has been used shows that it has not
yet been given over to the prostitu-
ton Of power. We doubt very much.
in fact. whether it will he. for the
very simple reason that under it the
people can achieve just what they
want, and they can stave off from
operation what they deem inCOnsis-
tent with their wishes.
1t is hard to persuade us that the
people. when given A fair opportu-
nifty to express themselves. will do
anything entirely against their own
best interests. From extremely close
contact Win tlt iUllldiiNt w INV.
it very much. \ necessary pToteC-
ton. of course. in it's operation. is
to make it impossible to submit use
less and frivolous questions and this
can readily be done through the SIM
pie exredient Of setting the require
ments high for the number of pc
titioners necessary to bring about the
submission of any question.
Ladies who are extremely interest
ed in the suffrage question have
made a study of State constitutions.
They intend to show by it that
there is too much difficulty in amend
ment of State constitutions to WAL
rant the national legislature in turn
ing down the national suffrage amend
ment In this study. which we quote
from literally, is shown the follow
ing:
In New Mexico during the first
IS years of Statehood the adoption
of a State constitutional amendment
for woman suffrage requires a ma
jority of three-fourths of all who
vote on any question or candidate at
the election when it is submitted.
and here must be two-thirds of
these in each county. provision
which is absolutely prohihitive. The
constitution of Indiana says: 'If Il
ma ajority of the electors of the State
shall vote to ratify an amendment
it shall become a part of the consti-
tuition" although it would require a
census of male citizens to determine
the number of electors. The con-
stitution made in 1851 has never
been amended. Only one amendment
at a time can be submitted in Ilh-
nois, and to be adopted must receive
a majority of the highest number of
votes cast at the election. This
offers small chance for woman suf-
frage.
'In South Carolina, after an
amendment has been submitted by
a two-thirds vote of two Legisla-
lures and has received a ma jority of
s many votes as were cast for Rep
resentatives in the Legislature. this
body at it's next session may nullify
the election. This is the case in Mis-
sissippi after an amendment has re-
ceived majority of the highest
number of votes cast at the election
Woman suffrage by State action In
South Carolina and Mississippi is
practically impossible
I'm New Hampshire the Legisla-
ture cannot submit an amendment
to the voters, but this can be done
only by constitutional convention
which meets once in seven years. In
Vermont there can be a constitu-
tional convention but once in ten
years. In many States the calling
Of such a convention is very diff
cult and complete woman suffra sc
never has been granted anywhere
through the submission of an
amendment by constitutional con-
vention.
I'm many States a two-thirds or
three-tfths majority of the legisla-
ture Is necessary to submit an amend
ment to the voters. These are Ala
bama. Connecticut. Florida, Georgia,
Illinois, Kentucky. Louisiana. Maine,
MARYLAND. Massachusetts, Michigan,
mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina,
Ohio, SoLth Carolina, Tennessee.
Texas, VeSnont and West Virginia
(2O. In a number of States two sue
cessive legislatures must vote to sub
init an amendment. These are Con-
necticut, Indiana, Iowa, Maine. Mas
sachusetts, New Jersey, North Da-
kota, Tennessee. Vermont, Virginia
and Wisconsin GD. In all OF these
States except Massa chusetts and New
Jersey the legislature meets biennial
ly, thus requiring at least three years
to have an amendment sent to the
voters. The Alabama legislature
meets only once in four years. An
amendment cannot be resubmitted in
Illinois for four years; in Pennsyl
yaniss New Jersey and Kentucky for