The Washington herald., 1920-04-02
CBy n stan Correspondent.)

Springfield, ILL.,, April Illinois
is being measured for a new con-
stitutional dress. Assisting in the
fitting OF the garment are 102 cit
izens of varied intelligence and in
tellect, picked by the voters Of the
State last fall. All belong to the
two dominant parties. The deie-
gates are of many nationalities. as
befits a cosmopolitan people. but all
are of one gender. The convention
has been in session for almost three
months, during which time 1886
measures were introduced. After
the closing of the lists a few
amendments were introduced by
unanimous consent. but for all prac-
tical purposes the material at hand
is all that is in sight for the cut
ters.
Changing State constitutions has
ceased to be a novelty. Many COM
monwealths of progressive tenden-
cies are trying to adjust themselves
to the new times. All have been
trying to at least keep pace with
conditions as they have arisen. even
IL some have failed to look into the
future.
May Offer New Ideas.
There would be no particular in
terest in the Illinois Constitutional
Convention wefe il not for the fact
that other States have been looking
toward the home Of Lincoln, Grant
o., g. fKR,-
portance is also enhanced by the
fact that ii is the third largest in
the Union, with a population which
will probably exceed 1000, 900 in the
new census.
The proposals made should give
an index to the new thought" of
the people. 1t is not maintained
here that they do. but they undoubt-
edly partly reflect the ideas of the
rank and file. II 1t does not. Illinois
voters woefully failed in picking the
right delegates.
Judging from the suggestions up
permost in the minds of the dele
gates the courts are the most i'm
portant feature of our civilization.
Forty-four measures had to do di-
rectly with the judiciary, and sew
eral more indirectly. In the back
ground of these proposals a ten
dency Is shown to simplify judicial
procedure. also to make IL less cost
ly to litigants. Directly connected
with 1t is a demand for q reformed
jury system, which. in the main,
abolishes the unanimous verdict,
even though 1t does not go as far
as majority opinion. In criminal
juries a minor ten out of twelve
would decide; in civil cases, five out
OF six. However, there are few
new thoughts evolved in either the
proposals for the court or jury.
Sixteen school Proposals.
The schools are referred to direct
ly in sixteen proposals, and women
figure in eight. The latter includes
demands for equal suffrage and the
abolition of words of masculine gen.
der where 1t is not specifically need
ed. Among the measures of educa-
tion the Bible figures in several in
stances. Provisions are made for
the use of the Holy Writ in schools
and one proposal is to the effect that
the teacher shall each day read
passages from the Bible in the class
room, but In every instance no COM
While the use of the Good Book
Is being advocated, measures have
been introduced for the more COM
plete separation Of Church and
state" in the denying Iof any aid to
sectarian institutions but at the
same time recognizing the advisibil-
ity of not levying any taxes on such
properties.
AS indicated. there is not a single
labor or socialistic delegate in the
convention. Also no woman. The
former Is reflected in the fact that
only three proposals refer directly
to labor as such. One of these meas
ures Is however. strong enough to
satisfy the most radical labor
leader. 1t provides for the right OF
the workman to belong to a union,
to strike. to persuade others to do
so, to picket. to meet, and to pay
strike benefits.
Consider Industrial Court.
There is another proposal of still
greater. Importance to the toiler and
that is the provision for an indus,
trial court. 1t will be based on the
Kansas experiment. Governor Henry
II Allaa a.