Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-05-06
IL CHANGES IN
CONSTITUTION
TOBE DECIDED
Special Election of Sept. {
Next Event on Election
Program.
ISSUES BEFORE VOTERS

ton which Will be held Sept Q. to de-
eide whether twelve amendments adopted
sc the 1919 and 1920 sessions Of the Legis-
lature shall become a part Of the basic
law OF the State
The amendments provide, briefly, for
the following:
That suffrage shall be restricted to
citizens OF the United States.
That the Legislature may classify
counties for registration Of voters.
That the number of voters in the
), State shall be determined by the vote
for secretary OF State instead Of by
enumeration.
That the Governor may veto sepa-
rate items in appropriation bills.
That the terms Of all State officials
shall be four years.
That the terms OF all county off,
Gals shall be four years.
That the terms Of all prosecuting
attorneys shall be four years.
That the General Assembly may
prescribe qualifications for admission
to the bar.
That the General Assembly may
prescribe a system OF taxation.
That the General Assembly may
levy an income tax.
That negroes may be admitted to
the state militia.
That a term Of office may not be
extended nor the salary increased
during any term.
CONVENTION PLAN
GOVERNORS IDEA.
Indications are that an extensive cam
paign will be conducted throughout the
State on the question Of whether these
amendments shall be adopted. This cam
paign viii be opened by a State eonven-
ton of persons interested to be called
within a short time. The convention
plan is the idea Of Governor Warren T.
McCray.
Interest at the present time centers
principally on two taxation amendments
The amendment which provides that ths
Legislature may provide for a system of
taxtion would remove all constitutional
bars from the tax question. 1t has been
pointed out that under this amendment
the Legislature may resort 20 any type
OF taxation. Il may exempt some prop
erty and tax other property. 1t may levy
an income tax or a land tax o. any other
kind Of a tax.
The provisions OF the income tax
amendment are included in this proposed
amendment, but the income tax clause
would be effective in case 1t should re-
ceivs majority of the votes and the gen
eral tax amendment should be defeated.
OBJECT To REMOVAL
OF RESTRICTIONS.
Opponents Of the general tax amend
nsent are objecting to the elimination of
constitutional restrictions on the ground
that the Legislature might run away
with things" in the matter of taxation.
Friends Of the amendment declare it Is
necessary in order that the Assembly
may classify property for taxation and
particularly that IL may reduce the rate
on interest bearing securities and money
in order that nearly the entire income
from these sources may not be consumed
by taxes. They contend that such a
provision would encourage investment.
The amendment providing that only
citizens Of the United States shall have
the right to vote is for the purpose OF
preventing persons who have taken out
only their first naturalization papers
from being herded to the polls and voted
by politicians.
The purpose Of giving the Assembly
power to classify counties for registra-
ton Of voters is to permit the Assembly
TO provide different types Of registration
according to the population Of the cOun-
ties.
ELIMINATION OF
EXPENSE PURPOSE.
The amendment providing that the
number Of voters shall be determined by
the vote for Secretary OF State is for the
purpose of eliminating the expense of
enumeration.
Under present conditions the Governor
has no power TO check appropriations
because he must either veto an entire ap-
preparation bill or approve #. Under
one Of the proposed amendments he
would have the power 10 veto any item
which he considers improper.
The amendments providing that terms
Of Office shall be four years would make
all offices in the State and in the coun-
terms are for four years and some for
two.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR
BAR ADMISSIONS.
The amendment providing that the
Legislature shall prescribe qualifications
for admission to the bar Is one that the
assembly long has attempted to write
into the constitution. Its purpose is to
prevent the imposition on the public Of
unqualified persons.
The admission OF negroes to the State
militia is a plan Of Republican politi-
clans.
The provision that a term Of office
may not be extended or a salary in
crossed during any term is to stop abuses
that frequently are attempted in the
Legislature In order to favor some in
dividuaL
Some Of the members Of the Legisla-
ture are planning to take an active part
IN having these amendments adopted
which would rewrite a large part Of the
State constitution. They are the out
growth of the attempt several years ago
TO bring about a constitutional conven-
ton for this purpose. This movement
was blocked by the supreme court.
SPECIAL ELECTION
TO ATTRACT INTEREST.
At least one member Of the Legislature
: has stated that he viii introduce a bill
calling for a constitutional convention,
should the amendments be defeated.
The holding Of a special election in
stead Of submitting the amendments at
a general election, is 4 plan of friends Of
the amendments who believe they have
more chances Of being adopted at a spe-
cial election. The present constitution
provides that the amendments, to be sue
cessful, must have a vote Of a majority
OF the voters who cast their ballots at
the election in which they are submitted.
Heretofore It has been found impossible
to arouse enough interest TO cause a ma
jority Of the voters to record q favor
able opinion at any general election.
Voters may vote against part Of the
amendments and for others.
20 Year-Old Election
Do1I1&c WIFI Dx.z.x.