The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1920-11-12
WEST VIRGDNIA'S
TWO AMENDMENTS
/. TO CONSTITUTION
ROAD BONDS MAY BE ISSUED TO
.E AMOUNT OF FIFTY MIL =.
. LIONS. 49,.

Legislation will be necessary by the
new General Assembly in regard to at
least one of the two amendments to the
constitution adopted at the recent elec-
ton. .t .r ...
These amendments are known as the
good roads amendment and the legis-
latiye amendment, both of which ap-
pear TO have been adopted by decis-
i've majorities. b..
The first amendment gives to the
Legislature authority to issue bonds
for construction and maintenance of a
system OF state roads and highways.
The aggregate amount of bonds out
standing at any one time is limited to
$50, 900, 900. and when an issue is au-
thorized the Legislature at the same
time is required to provide for the COL
lection Of an annual tax sufficient to
pay the interest and to amortiZe the
principal within 80 years. If a bond
issue is decided on, the necessary ma
chinery win have to be set up for car
rying out the provisions of the amend
ment
There are no indications as to how
large a bond issue Is likely to be
sought. There is some speculation as
to whether or not an attempt will be
made to issue the entire $50,000,000 of
bonds in one lump 1t is believed gen.
orally that bond issue will be sought,
however.
The legislative amendment, in addi-
ton to a provision to pay members of
the Legislature fiat sum for the term,
instead of on the present day basis
also makes an important change in the
meeting time OF the Legislature.
According to its provisions, the Leg
islature will convene first for a If
teen day session. During this period
its proceedings will be limited to the
introduction OF bills and it will have
authority to pass only such measures
as are deemed to be emergency bills
ard measures recommended by the
Governor. At the end of Is days a re-
cess will be taken until March 4, when
a forty five-d day session will convene.
| During the second session business
will be confined to considering and
acting on measures introduced at the
hfteenld day session. No new measures
can be introduced or considered un-
less they are recommended by the
The advantage claimed for this "dou-
ble- -barrelled" session is that it viii
give to the voters time to familiarize
themselves with proposed measures
and to permit their attitude to be
known.
There was little outward signs OF
opposition to the Legislative amend
ment. the innovations having been re.
garded as worth a trial at least. Con-
siderable opposition, however, develop
ed previous to the election against the
so called good roads amendment,muct
OF the opposition coming from Char
| lesion, where one of the newspapers
had waged an active campaign for thu
defeat of the measure for weeks pre-
ceding the election. ~.
| 1t was contended that the amend
ment was" drawn crudely, one of its al
legged defects being that it provided
that the money must be spent upor
roads connecting county seats. This
1t was argued, would work to the dis
advantage Of those counties, including
Kanawha, which already have con
structed this class of roads and tina
such counties would not benefit by tn
measure. Another serious defect al
legged was the failure Of the amend
ment to provide for the abolition of tn
| County Court system of building roads