The New York herald., 1921-10-29
The Constitutional Amendments.

At the election on November the
! voters of New York will be called on
to accept or reject seven proposed
amendments to the State Constitu-
ton. Concerning six Of these the
intelligent and disinterested citizen
will have little difficulty in forming
his decision. One of them presents
a question of grave import with re-
garG to which respectable arguments
may be advanced on both sides.
In the order in which the ques-
tions will appear on the official bal
lot the first proposed amendment pre-
sented to the voters is one providing
that in appointment to and promo
tion in the civil service Of the State,
its counties, cities, towns and viii
lagos preference shall be given to
honorably discharged soldiers, sail
ors and marines who were residents
Of the State when they entered the
service. This project, il it were ap-
proved by the people, would mean,
in fact, that there would be no civil
service appointments or promotions
for anybody else. In fire and police
departments, for example, men who
needed the appeals of their superiors
and despite their own desire to fight
with the colors remained in civil
life to perform arduous and danger
Gus duties would be sidetracked for
a specially privileged class.
The next amendment would double
the pay Of Senators and Assembly
men, who now receive $500 a year,
and If the amendment is adopted
would get $4,000. II is not the ira
dition of American political life that
public Office should be profitable or
that men should be attracted to the
service of the State by high salaries;
nor is it sound public policy to pay
so little that men are actually un-
able to meet their expenses from
their salaries. In the present cir
cumstances, with taxpayers crushed
under Federal, State and local tax
bills, the proposed change in legisla-
tors salaries is not to be supported.
The amendment should be beaten.
The third amendment on the ballot
is that which presents grave ques-
tion Of policy. 1t provides that after
January /, 1922, no person shall be-
come entitled to vote by attaining
majority, by naturalization or other
wise unless such person is able, ex-
cept for physical disability, to read
and write English. THE New York
HERALD will discuss this proposed
amendment later.
BY the fourth amendment the Leg
islature would be empowered to es-
tabllsh new forms of government for
Westchester county and for Nassau
county, which, because of their prox-
unity to New York and the density
OF population in many of their towns
and villages, are i'll adapted to
the present system, originally devised
for rural communities. Under the
amendment, after approval of the
plans by the voters of the counties,
the counties might take over some of
the functions of the towns, thus
simplifying administration and al
lowing reduction in the cost OF gov
crnment. BY provision for referen-
dun and for reversion to the present
form the reconstruction would be left
entirely in the hands of the electors
Of each county. Home rule Is safe
guarded in tho amendment. Con-
ditions in these counties might be
greatly improved by revision of their
form of government. The amend
ment should be approved.
The purpose OF the fifth amend
ment is to increase the power of the
Legislature by authorizing 1t to es-
tablish childrens courts and domes-
tic relations courts with powers suf-
ficlently broad to meet the situations
constantly arising In these iurisdic-