Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-04-04
the people who have adopted them
IL C. L 7n5-7l6l

No ~. u. lVO-SVOsJ
1t a been said that "in interpreta-
ton the first impression made by a
writing is an important factor, be-.
cause the writing is then being tested
In the same that the writer
expected and in the same manner that
the writer prepared the writing to be
received"
1t has also been said that ut Is gen.
orally safe to reject an Interpretation
that does not naturally suggest itself
to the mind Of the casual reader, but,
is rather the result of a laborious
effort to extract from a statute a
meaning which it does not at first
seem to convey" Ardmore Coal Co.
Tvs; Beyil. 81 Fed. 81. 10 c. e: A. ~;
What is the first impression by the
lwords, "a majority Of all tbe legal
votes cast at such general elect10n?"
What is naturally suggested to the
mind thereby? What did the people
of this state understand these words
to mean at the time they adopted the
there any serious doubt as to how
these questions should be answered?
I think not. The words r not tech
nical. They are words of common
and ordinary use. Their utterance
promptly conveyed. and conveys. a,
certain idea to the popular mind. And
there is no room for argument as to
the meaning generally attributed to
them by the people of this state. 1t
is undeniable that the phrase. "a ma
jority of all the legal votes cast at
such general election" was uniformly
understood throughout the state to
mean q majority of the votes cast by
lin sue general election. Nc one eve
asserted that the phrase had m
other meaning until after the cleo
Etion in 1918. During the campaign
preceding the election those opposed
to. as well as those in favor Of, the
amendments were of the same mind.
For instance. the Republican state
central committee.-(which had en-
dorsed the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS a
pamphlet entitled. 1.-The Truth About
the Constitutional Amendments" In
this pamphlet (page $50, 1t is said
I'm order to carry. the constitutional
samendments must nave q majority
zen who does not vote at all On those
measures Is helping defeat them as
much as the man who votes against
thenl." Statements to the same eff
feet appeared in the newspaper of the
state generally. No n c~ontended
that the phrase meant what the ma
jority members now hold that it
| l1Cd4I6s 80 vi SOuI0Cs J = 40 SIuOy y A1
not evidence Of the intention of the
trainers or proposers of tho provision
under consideration. but it tends to
show the meaning uniformly a%ttribut-
ed thereto by the people of the state.
But let us consider the intention
of those who framed, and proposed,
the amendment embodied in the sec.
us bear in mind the object of the sec
ond subdivision. and the situation
which confronted the men who
framed it, and the legislative who pro-
posed 1t. There was then in existence
only method of, proposing consti'
Itutional amendments. to-wit:-the
of section 2o2. The second subdivi'
sion provided a wholly different meth
cd of proposing constitutional amend
ments. The first subdivision provides
4 for the proposal Of constitutions
amendments by the legislative as
Isembly; the second subdivision pro
ments by initiative petition. AT
amendment proposed under tn frs
subdivision is proposed by the chosen
|, Representatives Of the people. It mus
receive the approval OF two successive
Legislative assemblies before beini
: Submitted to the nsople. 1t is pub
t lished as part Of the proceedings .
9 both legislative assemblies. 1t mus
also be, published for three month
q previous to the election of the mem
u bers of the second assembly. so tina
. the people may know that the mem
r bers they are about to choose will b
required to vote for or against the sub
mission Of the proposed amendment
An amendment proposed by thi
( kmethod remains pending for a consid
! erable length Of time and much pub
licity and opportunity for discussion
is Afforded. But am amendment pro
posed by initiative petition does no
emanate from -reprsssnt,tiv tive
q who prepare, circulate, or sign sucl
ipetition. No publicity is required be
= fore the petitions are circulated o
: filed. The proposed amendment l
Submitted at the next general election
: IL the petition is filed with the secre
tary of state at least six months prio
two methods of amending the consti
tuition are scrf-eyident. These differ
ences were recognized by the ms
who framed. proposed and adoptaa
g the SECOND subdivision. They estab
" lished new Standards and prescribe,
q different procedure for amendment
4 proposed under the second subdivi
$ 9 sion from those established and, pre-
2 scribed In the first subdivision. TIL
first subdivision expressly authorize
: the legislature to prescribe the tim,
!. at, and the manner in. which con
It
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COMING!
Are Yousa Maann