Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-11-04
ILLINOIS OCCUPIES
WITH BUSINESS Of
NAMING DELEGATES
WHOLE STATE kEENLY INTER
ESrED IN OUTCOME or TODAY'S
ELECTION FOR CONSTITUTION
Al CONVENTION

Springfield H. Nov. 4.-Delegates
to the fifth constitutional convention
of Illinois, two from each OF the nifty
one senatorial districts, are being Sc
lected by the voters Of the state to-
day. In addition proposals to in
struct the delegates as to the wishes
of the people concerning the inclusion
in the prospective constitution OF
provision for the initiative and refer
endum and authorizing municipalities
to acquire utilities are passed upon.
Selection of delegates in some dis
tricts is considered test OF party
strength and interest is keen, can
didates for delegates are running UNI
der the following designations: So
cialist. republican. democratic labor.
Independent for the initiative and ref
erendum, independent, and indepen-
dent anti-monopoly, and as many as
eight are seeking election from some
districts,
The instructions to the convention
concerning the features of the con
stitutiou it is to report are nat man
datory and will merely indicate the
desires of the voters but cannot
bind the delegates Efforts to make
the instructions binding by contain
ing pledges from the candidates have !
been made. however.
The instruction are in the form OF
three Questions two dealing with /
the initiative and referendum. The I
first suggests the definite form in ,
which this might go into the const!-
tuition as follows.
Shall the members of the fifth
constitutional convention be instruct
ed to submit a proposal for the in
itiative and referendum the term
initiative as herein used meaning the
power to bring proposed laws and
constitutional amendments to popu
lar vote at any regular election. by
petition of 100 900 electors at large.
all measures so submitted to become
laws when approved by majority
of those voting thereon, the term
referendum as herein used. meaning
the power to suspend specified act {
or acts of the Legislature by petition
of 80, 600 electors at large. until such |
act or acts shall have been referred
to popular vote and approved by a
majority of those voting thereon ,
said powers Of the initiative and ref
erendum also to be understood as
being extended by the constitution
to the electors of every municipality
and other subdivision or districts OF
the state, and to apply to all local,
special and municipal Legislation in
and for their respective municipall-
ties and subdivisions or districts?
The second question, if carried.
would instruct the convention to sub
nit. apart from the initiative and ref
erendum embodied in the constitution I
an initiative and referendum propos-
al identical with that of Question No. t
|, but for a separate vote of ratifica-
ton by the people 50 that II approved
it may take effect either as part OF .
the new constitution or as an amend
ment to the present constitution. 1t
is thus hoped by the advocates OF
the initiative and referendum that.
should the convention fail to embOdy
the provision in the constitution or
the new constitution fail of rati1ca-
ton NE voters will be enabled to add
the provision to the existing basic
law of the state.
The third question calls for the sub .
mission by the convention OF pro
vision in the new constitution grant !
ing to the state and to cities, towns,
villages and other municipal corpora
tione an ddiStriCts the power 10 &C
ouire outside of and beyond any con
stitutiona debt limitation icomepro-
ducinp utilities =" These utilities, 1t
lists. may be such as waterworks,
gas works. electric light and power
plants. street railways, urban and in
terurban transportation system, tele-
phone and telegraph systems, elevat-
ed railways warehouses, elevators,
wharves. docks and cold storage
plants and stock yards, abattoirs and
mines