The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-12-05
Politics, People, PersifIage
Comment on Subjects in Which You
May or May Not Be Interested. About
People You Know and Ought TO Know
BY BRYAN MACK

Those of us who have been, for years,
urging that a constitutional convention
be held in Florida to give to this state
a constitution in keeping with its present
Importance, and its certain future
growth, are glad to have others Join in,
and the Tampa Tribune seems to have
been the most recent one to realize that
the Florida constitution needs to be
made over.
The Gainesville Sun has this to say
about the present constitution:
THE organic law of a government
ought not 10 be a long drawn out docu-
ment. 1t should define the form of gov
eminent and fix the legislative, execu-
tive and judicial departments thereof. It
should contain guaranty of the rights
of the people. There it should stop.
Nearly every legislature assembled in
the state since 1885 has passed and sub
mitted to the voters an amendment to
the constitution. Most of them have been
ratified by voters. At the general cleo
ton the other day we adopted three
more Every conceivable scheme and
propaganda in Florida that finds Itself
up against the constitution gets that old
document amended. We have about
made a dish rag out of the old thing.
Instead of letting it remain document
consisting only Of cardinal principles of
government, we are making a piece of
be amended one more time. The reap
portionment proposition must be taken
care Of When that is done let's take
solemn oath, and cross our hearts, that
we will quit amending the constitution"
To which the Tampa Tribune says:
"Why must 1T be amended one more
time? 1t has been amended thfrty-seVen
times already, and is now a patchwork
concern, that more nearly resembles
mixed legislation than a declaration of
organic rights. The constitution of 1885
was not nine years old when we began
to amend it. and since 1894 we have add
ed thirty seven So called amendments.
many Of which are pure Iegitation.
Those amendments and their dates Of
adoption are:
Changing pay day for state officials,
1922. Increasing special school district
tax levy, 1922. Adding to number of
circuit judges, 1892. Prohibition, 1918.
Election of officers. 1895. Officials
bond, 1898. Insolvent criminal defend
ants, 1894. Publication of laws, 1896
Special school tax districts. 1912. Rails
ing county school rillage, 1918 Appor-
tionment of interest on school fund,
1894. Homestead exemption, 1916 Coun-
ty officials term of office, 1914. Com
rnissoners' districts, 1900. Relating to
senatorial districts. 1900. Composition of
legislature, 1896. Procedure Of passage
of bills. 1896. Suffrage and eligibility,
1894. Additional judge for Duval county,
1912. Criminal court of record. 1910. APP
pellate Jurisdiction for supreme court,
1910. Creating criminal court of record,
1910. Legislature given power to create
additional judicial circuits, 1898. Juris-
diction justices of peace, 1896. Adding to
number supreme court justices4 1902
Relating to supreme court, 1902. Judiciary
department 1914. Biennial elections,
1895. state militia. 1914. Board of par
dons, 1896. Providing for incorporation
Of certain classes of bodies, 1900.
GAS will be seen there is scarcely a
fundamental principle OF the constitution
some way by the people, until the result
is such a patchwork affair as to create
confusion in the minds OF even the most
clear thinking jurists and attorneys we
have. OF course, as the Gainesville Sun
says, there must be one more amend
ment, to take care of the representa-
ton in the legislature-unless we de-
eide to call constitutional convention.
re-write the instrument, clear 1t Of many
farcical things and get 1t back to its
heritage Of fundamentals
why not make constitutional con-
vention in 1923 the slogan for the legis-
lature Of 1928 to consider. instead of
merely going before it to fight for an
amendment which at best can be but
partial relief for condition which an
nually changes and gets worse7"
Working under a modern and sensible
constitution the legislature would be
able TO get through with its work In very
few days. and L sincerely believe that
the people by large majority wish
new constitution, one that win guaran-
tee equal rights TO all and deny privi-
leges TO any class.
With new constitution, planned by