Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1920-05-01
ONE ELECTION IN
NEW BASIC LAW
Measure May Be Disposed Of
This Week by Con.Con.
ABOLISH NONPARTISAN PLAN
Proposition Recommended by the suf.
fraee Committee Would Affect
chieaso--sharp Difference Of
Opinion on Pensions.

Springfeld.-Th need of short
ballot was one of the arguments most
frequently used for calling the consti-
tutional convention. But that subject
has not recently been talked much.
A suffrage section likely to he voted
on this week will lengthen the ballot
by reducing the number of elections TO
one year. That will be held on Il
holiday in November annually. and
elections shall not be held on any
other day" unless the constitution is
changed or congress DEGREES otherwise.
If this succeeds, probably certain
delegates will argue later that the need
for II short ballot has been reduced
materially, If not eliminated. Dele
gates already have stated that the
chief complaint now Is against the
number Of elections and consequent
cost rather than the number of names
on the ballot. There will be four
elections dOwnstate this month and
seven within the first half of this
year.
ton for the convention has reported
that the difficulties and objections
arising from the large blanket ballot
In Illinois are more serious I'm Chicago
and Cook county than in other parts
Of Illinois, on account of the greater
complexity of local government and
the larger number of elective offices
In the metropolitan community. But
even in other parts of the state the
problem of intelligent voting mt the
November elections Is puZzling 10 the
abcst voter. Outside of Chicago the
difficulties caused by the number of
separate local elections are greater
than in Chicago"
The plan recommended by the suf-
frngc committee will abolish The non
partisan election scheme In Chicago
for aldermen and all primaries, accord
ing 80 constitutional experts.
\Thc legislative reference bureau has
told the convention that there are
twice as many state and local officials
to be elected m Chicago ana Cook
county us In other counties" adding
| that, "omitting judges and local ofli-
Gers elected Mt other times, the voters
throughout Illinois are called upon ut
| the quadrcnninl November election to
| vote for about twenty state and local
officers and In addition, 30 presidential
| electors, II total of about fifty. The
| ballot ut these elections regularly has
| the names of 100 to 80 candidates for
| state and local offices and, when can
| dldatcs for presidential electors are
added. from 200 to go names. A
typIcal ballot for n downsiate district
| I'm 1916 contained the names of ID.
| candidates for ~ Offices"
on what action the constitutional
convention shall take on pensions there
IL n sharp difference Of opinion In the
| legislative committee. one side, most
| of whom are interested In politics, de-
| slres simple authorization Of pen
| slons; the other side, most of whom
are Interested In business, want man
datory plan that will compel solvent
pension system. Three subcommittee
REPORTS have been prepared, but none
of them has been accepted.
The employees want the constitution
to recognize cOntractural relation
ship between the employee and his
state or city regarding pensions. There
are more than 1900 employees
There Is an estimated deficiency OF
S7O.0OO,OO0 In the pension funds of the
J state ut present: the raising of that
will largely fall on the taxpayers.
| Other subcommittee of the legisla
tive committee have prepared reports
which appear more acceptable to the
entire membership, One of these will
fix the salary of n legislator for the
next session after the adoption of the
new constitution at $500 Il year. This
Is hcaping Goals of fire on the legisla
turc. which decided that constitution
makers were only worth $1,000 each.
Another subcommittee will recon
mend that amending laws by reference
he prohibited. and still another sub
committee will recommend that state
laws become effective 60 days aftel
final adjournment of the Legislature
instead OF on July !, after the acts arr
passed rs ut present.
In the closing session Of two-days
convention held ut bloomington or TN
Illinois Society of Gidcons, composed
of commercial travellers who arr
church members, resolution wa
adopted pctitioning the constitution
convention to include clause making
reading of the Bible obligatory In tn
schools OF Illinois.