Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1922-09-22

On December l2th, next, We are TO
be granted privilege that occurs
not more than once or twice in life
time. The privilege of voting on the
acceptance or rejection of a constitu-
ton for the State of Illinois. The
present constitution has been in effect
now for a half century and ii is but
natural to support that new basic
law should be written to meet the
more advanced conditions We now en-
counter.
In the election for delegates to the
constitutional convention, very little in
terest was displayed and as a con-
sequence big business succeeded in
getting their members elected. We
have therefore a constitution that is
drawn to suit the desires of the COM
mercial groups without regard to the
welfare of the great mass of people
who desired some relief from the
limitations embodied in the old con-
stitution.
Notwithstanding the fact that on
three separate occasions the people of
Illinois voted overwhelmingly in favor
of the initiative and referendum, the
members of the General Assembly
failed to carry the mandate into effect.
Since the people had spoken on this
important subject in such an emphatic
manner on all three occasions, one
Would presume the delegates 70 The
convention would give heed to their
demands, but not so. s. :
Notwithstanding the fact that some
1s states now have written into the
basic law of each some provision
whereby the people can initiate their
own measures where the general as
sembly fails or refuse to give heed to
their desires, the State of Illinois is
to be barred from this privilege, ii
the makeshift offered US in the shape
of a new constitution Is adopted.
Every progressive country in the
wide world has made provision for the
initiation and submission of measures
calculated to be of interest to the
great number without being entirely
dependent on the whims of an uncer-
tain legislature. but in Illinois we are
to be tied to the chariot wheel of COM
mercialized politics and if we fail to
get relief through such an agency, we
are denied the right of submitting to
the voters measures upon which we
desire an expression of opinion. Not
only have the delegates to the conven-
ton denied the people the right to
submit measures direct at any regu-
lar election, but they have written
into the constitution a provision OF
defeating the will of the people If any
effort is made to adopt the initiative
or referendum after the acceptance
of the proposed constitution.
Another objection that might be
pointed out in the printed copy Of the
proposed constitution is the change Of
political subdivisions, by providing
for senatorial district and also a
representative district. As if the
boundaries were not sufficiently con-
fusing now 10 the average voter they
seek to make it worse. We might
overlook this defect however, If they
had given the people some measure
of relief other than through the legis-
lature. Judging the actions of the
future general assemblies by what
has transpired in the past there can
be no logical reason assigned why
the people of this state should be
denied the right by petition to get
any measure no matter what its char'
aeter submitted at any general cleo