The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-04-19
URGE VOTERS
TO CONSIDER
AMENDMENTS
Announcement that McCray
Will Confer Saturday on
Constitutional Changes
Shows Importance.
TO INTEREST PUBLIC
BY PALLADIUM CORRESPONDENT

The announcement that Governor Nc
Cray will hold meeting next Thurs
day with officers of the Taxpayers
league of Indianapolis. to lay plans
for statewide conference on the pro-
posed constitutional amendments
which received their second and final
legislative approval at the last session
of the Assembly. Not for long time
have as many important questions
been presented to the voters of Indi-
ana as are embodied in the proposed
amendments.
At the same time it is realized that
it will be difficult to arouse popular
interest in the proposals and the main
task of the more careful thinkers of
he state is to conduct a campaign of
publicity SO that every tax payer in
will vote wisely according to his
choice at the special election which
will be held September of this year.
Whether voter be for or against any
particular amF ldment is probably
not so important. but it is highly inn
portant that all votes that are cast are
based on intelligence and proper in
formation.
The one apparent danger is that the
discussion of the amendments may
become tinged with politics. There is
absolutely no reason why this should
be true. Nevertheless nearly or quite
all OF the amendments we're presented
to the legislature under Republican
administration, that of James P. Good
rich, and all were adopted for a sec
ond and last time in another Republi
can administration that of Warren 7.
McCray. 1t is not difficult to under
stand therefore why some Democratic
politicians are talking against all of
the amendments. This talk was start
ed last winter when Samuel NJ Rails
ton, formerly Democratic governor,
and one of the very fine prospects"
of the Democrats for the United States
Senatorship nomination. issued long
statement in which he attacked tn :
amendments for divers and sundry
reasons. Since that time smaller fry
politicians taking their cue from Mr.
Ralston have been indicating in one
way or another that they do not
think very much of the amendments"
From a purely political standpoint
the Democrats are not exactly foolish
in this matter Almost any improve
ment during the early days of it's try
out is marked by confusion. And pos
sibly there has never been a progress
sive movement that was not attended
by great opposition in it's early stages.
Generally people are disinclined to be
worried about new things. particularly
things that they do not understand
very we'll. Therefore, it can be seen
opposition to the amendments might
supply the Democrats with an issue
in the first political campaign follow
ing the action on the amendments.
May Create Issue
All this is not said for the purpose
of proving that Mr.. Ralston has any
improper motive in his attitude on
the amendments, but rather to show
that Mr.. Ralston, being a leading
Democratic politician. less scrupulous
Democratic politicians may take ad-
vantage of the situa ton in order to
create a political issue. A develop
ment of this kind would be very un-
fortunate for the people of the state.
The proposed amendments relate to
the basic law Of the state. their opera.
tion. and ultimately can hardly be OF
special advantage in political way
10 any political party, and they should
be considered in a calm and delibera
tive manner, free from any partisan
bias.
If the proposed amendments are
wise in their provision and will eff
feet the changes in the constitution
desired by those who have expressed
displeasure with the constitution as it
now stands, they should by all means
be adopted, because unless they are
adopted the agitation for a new con
sutution will continue, and not the
least improbable Of future events will
be a constitutional convention. AL
most every person who has had an
opportunity to study the question in
other states regard constitutional
convention as a calamity.
Members of the legislature who
were sent by Governor McCray to 9th
er states to study budget and taxation
matters were not instructed to look
into any other questions in particular r.
but they came back thoroughly con
vinced that a constitutional conven
tion is one of the worst things that
can happen to any state, and they sc
reported to Governor McCray. When
Governor McCray used every influ
ence in his control to get action on
the proposed amendments in the las
session of the legislature he was not
acting at random or without reason
And it is not assumed that former
Governor Goodrich, when he wired tc
Governor McCray from Cuba urging
action ON the amendments, was send
ing the message merely because he
liked to pay telegraph tolls.
Voters Must Decide
1t is not the purpose of this article
to give a verdict on any or all of the
amendments; that is for the voters tc
do. But it Is the purpose of this
article to urge very sincerely that nc
voter be guided by political reasons
in making up his mind on the amend
ments.
1t should also be urged by all who
desire a fair and adequate verdict that
voters do not give their attention en-
tirely to one or two or three of the
proposals and pass the others up with
out voting on them. Such course
on the part Of any great number OF
voters might result in the failure Of a