Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1921-09-06
Constitutional Amendments.

It's pretty difficult to get many weeks
away from an election OF some klno 10
these days. And we are reminded that
next Monday, Sept. II, there will De an
election 10 Maine for the purpose OF vot-
ing on three proposed amendments 10
the constitution Of the state. Every
time the legislature meets In those mod
ern days it submits batch of Aonstitu-
tiousl amendments to the voters. In
some instances this is done because tne
legislature really thinks that the pro
posed amendment should be adopted,
and In other instances IL Is merely case
OF passing the buck" to the people.
One of the three amendments to De
voted on next week has drawn ont ABOUT
the only discussion and comment that
the election has so far evoked. By In
sorting the words land state aid IL pro
vides that the money raised by the sale
OF highway bonds may be used for the
construction not only of state roads but
of state aid roads as well. As 1t now
stands this money can be used only In
the construction of the trunk lines. The
change Is advocated by many OF those
most Interested In the road question, as
In line with the development OF com
plete road system, rather than the con
struction of trunk lines alone. On the
other hand, the amendment 10 opposed
by an almost unanimous vote OF the
directors OF the Maine Automobile Asso-
citation, who declare that the purpose OF
the amendment Is to take away from the
state roads the entire balance OF $780,
600 now remaining of the authorized
bond issue, and put it all into state aid
roads. Evidently there Is some misun-
Outstanding somewhere rs to the effect
OF the amendment.
One of the other amendments, and the
first one on the ballot, provides for alb
sent voting, so that by taking the proper
course q voter may have bis vote count
ed although he is absent from the town
of his residence on election day. A law
providing the quite elaborate machinery
for carrying the amendment into effect
was one of the first acts passed by the
legislature last winter, and will auto
mstically become statute when the
amendment 10 adopted. Absent voting
Is being tried 10 some other states, but
has not really got beyond the expert
mental stage. Every voter should exer-
else his or her honest Judgment as to
the desirability Of Il. As far as his per-
sonsl opinion Is concerned, the writer OF
this Is frank to say that he is willing
that the experiment should 20 on In
other states for while before we make
this radical change 10 our governmental
system, and that rs q member OF the
eightieth legislature be was one OF an
Insignificant and hopeless minority who
voted against the act.
The third question provides for the
issuing Of state bonds for the purpose OF
paying Q bonus to Maine soldiers and
sailors In the war with Spain, a. has
already been done with the soldiers OF
the world war. The status OF the vste-
rams Of the two wars is different In some
respects, but there is valid argument
both for and against this amendment.
Ii Is probable though deplorable that
only q small fraction of the voters will
register their opinion on these important
matters, yet every citizen should feel II
his or her duty to be at the polls next
Monday.