The Washington herald., 1920-04-02
Brand New Constitutional Dress
Being Cut Out for State of Illinois
To Inaugmate 336 New Legal Styles

son before the committee to explain
its workings. Labor Is strongly op-
posed to the suggestion, but as it
has no representation it will have
no voice in the making of the new
constitution except what 1t may
have in appearing at public hear
ings.
Should one proposal be adopted
the chances are that labor would
cut more of a figure in future de-
liberations which concerned their
welfare. That is disfranchisement
for citizens who do not go to the
polls. To this is tackled on fines and
Imprisonment. This of course would
affect the citizenry domiciled on the
various gold coasts" scattered
throughout the State.
Disfranchisement is also in store
for those who refuse to bear arms
and for those who cannot read the
English language. The word Eng
lish," however, does not appear in
the wording. 1t is American" all
the way. To offset this there is a
measure which takes cognizance OF
conscientious objectors" and lib
erty of conscience"
Want Honest Elections.
One of the earliest measures in
troduced was to the effect that
"all elections should be honest" and
this was repeated farther on. An
other advanced idea is to the ef-
feet that courts should always be
open. Self government for cities
figures largely. especially for cities
of over 100000 people. this refer
ring to Chicago exclusively. In
this connection municipal owner
ship OF utilities is provided by a
number of proposals.
Several delegates have made ef-
forts to get household effects from
5000 to $4,000 exempt from taxa
tion and that widows and minors
should be taxed less than others.
There is. however, bad news for
the unmarried (widowers excepted),
in that one measure provides a
tax of 35 per cent of the income
on bachelors over IS years or over.
The initiative and referendum
have several hackers and on this
point William Jennings Bryan was
asked to eNpound his doctrine. One
measure provides that illinois
shall remain representative in form
and not a pure democracy" a
somewhat fine distinction for those
not we'll versed in political science.
Per Cent Booze Proposed.
No dry" measure has been in
troduced but several wet" pro-
posals have been put before the
lawmakers. One provides for per
cent liquor by volume and another
for service bars not over three feet
in length. Sports have not been
overlooked as twenty-five-round
boxing matches are provided for,
but wrestling matches, where ad-
missions are charged. are pro-
hibited.
The wrecking of financial insti-
tutions, from either inside or out
side, Is discouraged by the proposal
that no pardon or parole shall be
issued to robbers of banks, bank
embezzlers or for murderers of Of
ficers of law. Marginal" trading
is prohibited by one suggestion.
Physical education and recreation
for children is made a State charge
and this department must be open
twelve months in the year. An
other proposal empowers the legis-
lature to enact laws for a system
of insurance against illness, old
age and unemployment, while a
drastic regulation against profiteers
is also urged.
Want ballots Marked I'm Ink.
A budget system in effect now in
Illinois. is provided for. Public de-
tenders would be. appointed in cities
of certain size and in the choosing
of the judiciary only lawyers may
vote in the primaries, are two mea-
sures provided for. One delegate
demands that ballots shall be
marked in ink only. making eras-
ures difficult.
Many farmers are members of
the convention. but when all the
proposals had been tabulated it
was discovered that there was not
single measure which could be
referred to the agricultural sub
committee. From this II might be
argued that the statutes referring
Ito the farmer and now ON the books
are letter perfect.
4.