Evening star., 1922-12-22
Lesson for Other States in Illinois
Rejected Constitution.

Illinois emphatic. almost contemptu'
Gus. reputation Of the new constitution
lust submitted to popular vote. while
seemingly a local issue. has aroused
widespread interest and editorial dis-
cussion throughout the country. ihe
EXPLANATION apparently lies in the grow
ing tendency, which the San Antonio
Light points out. to raise the cry GiFe
US a new constitution" The fever OF
dissatisfaction with the old seems to be
contagious" the Light says. THE ex-
listing constitutions Of various states are
being assaiied. Nowhere, one might
conclude after reading about the many
projects Of this kind. is everybody sat
,sfied with the organic law OF his par
.;c,,ar state" And the Illinois expert
ence teaches valuable lessons in connec-
tion with constitutional revision.
The most vital points in the lessons
thus taught. in general editorial opin-
ion. are. first. the fallacy OF incorporas,,nSs
In the organic charter matters which
should be subjects for statutory enact
ment: andr second, the fact that the
better way to revise constitutions, atter
ali. seems to be to simplify amendment
of the old rather than to substitute an
nndiReSte0 ana uHut0O AG".
''IIl,nois has proved again. the Dulutn
Herald announces, that about the hard
est fob IN American civic experience Is
TO exchange old constitutions for new
ones" The convention presented doc
ument which the Baltimore News be.
lieves was a very good consutution.
proposing many excellent and reeded
reforms" yet It received an adverse vote
ranging from to / in rural districts
to 30 to in urban communities. NO
similar debacie in popular feJectaon II
recalled in the history Of constitution
Louise Globe Democrat. and. indeed.
"an adverse majority SO overwhelming
seems to the Syracuse Herald like a
far,.ical SEQUEL to the three years CT
discussion. meditation and hard Iabcr
devoted to the framing of the new or
ganic law"
The personnel Of the constitutional
convention. popularly dubbed the
SCon Con-" "was regarded as excep--
tionally competent" the Springfield
(Mass.) Republican reports. but ut
is not unlikely that 1t would have
Jared better at the polls II It had
Of view" for "rsNical opposition
seems to have been strengthened by
some feeling that the convention was
dominated. by q class" Certainly
such a body should not have pro-
duC6d a document tuAl Souao ~ uou
to slch ignominious defeat. the South
BEND Tribune thinks, and it Is almost
ridiculous that members of such q
convention should shoot so wide OF
the mark that. the vote should amount
to reputation of their sense and
judgment s.;-5
what allied the proposed lConstitu-
tionf'' the Decatur Review wants to
know. Many things, AZ the editors
of the country analyxe it. Primarily,
it Impressed people as something
which had been carefully and dis
creetly framed on them," according
to the diagnosis Of the Chicago Trib-
une. THE idea of new taxes scared
the great mass Of citizenship which
pays the other mans tAxes-the land
lords, the butchers, and the baker, s
but does not want to see tax bill.
The authority granted the legisia-
ture to reform tax laws was powder
keg. All citizens saw themselves paying
something directly for the upkeep OF
the state. Nothing. as IT were, DO
ing" To the Kansas City Times. also
ton. "In an endeavor to please all
factions it submitted. along with a
provision for an income tax on in
tansibles. a provision calling for
tax on all net incomes regardless OF
size; and, as the St. Louis Post
Dispatch says. "the objection of the
man Of small income may be ILL
advised, experts may theori1e and
patriots may plead, but when 1t
comes down to the issue 1t is rare
man Who WIN vote tax on his own
pocketbook."
Again, the Cincinnati Enquirer re-