The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-09-22
NEWS OF THE CoNSTI-
TUTIONAL CONVENTION


ISOLATION. Week ending Sept. 81 |
jefferson City, Mo-, Sept. 8.-Only |
citizens of the United States, over |
the age of twenty-one, will have the |
right to vote in Missouri after the |
adoption of the new constitution, as
provided by he report Of the Commit.
tee on Suffrage and Elections and
adopted by the convention. The
change from the old constitution pro-
vision is that foreigners who have
taken out only their first papers Will
not be allowed to vote. They must
become fully naturalized citizens OF
the United States, which means at
least five years residence, and reside
in the state a year. Idiots and in
sane persons are added to the list OF
ineligibles, while specific provision
gives the right of suffrage to inmates
of soldiers and sailors homes.
Provision is made by the commit
tee report for the opening of ballots
in grand jury Investigations and In
the trial of all cases, either civil or
criminal, in which the violation Of
any of the election laws, including
elections for the nomination of can
didates for any office, is under in
vestigation or at issue. Under the
present constitution the ballot box
can only be opened in case of con-
tested election.
Another provision of the report, as
amended by the convention, makes it
mandatory on the legislature to pro-
vide for registration of voters in all
cities and counties having popula-
ton of 100000 or more and in all
cities of 10000 or more located in
counties having a population of less
than 100000. The committee report
made it optional with the legislature
for registration in the smaller cities,
and many hours we're spent in dis
cussion and several amendments and
substitutes were offered and voted
down, but the provisions in brief as
stated here were finally adopted by
the committee of the whole. The sec
ton will still be open to amendment
when it comes up for final vote in the
convention.
The absent-voter section of the old
constitution has been changed, re-
serving the mandatory provision to
apply to those engaged in military
service and making it permissible for
the legislature to provide the same
privilege to other absentees, but lin
iting it to those within the state.
The literacy test proposed by the
committee, qualifying the right to
vote, met with much opposition and
will probably not be adopted unless
some plan is proposed that will in
sure to every person in the state,
white or Negro, an opportunity to
learn to read and write the English
language. 1t was pointed out that
there were hundreds living In scat
tered and sparsely settled localities
who did not now enjoy the privilege,
ed to go to any but schools for their
own race, and these not available.
The proposal for a modification of
the present statewide open primary,
which the committee reported as
separate or alternative proposition,
was still to be settled as the week
drew to close. While many are OPP
posed to the primary system as it is
at present operating, opposition is so
marked that the convention seems
disposed to move slowly in providing
marked changes.
For the most part the committee
report has stood the test of a weeks
bombardment and with but small
changes will probably be approved by
the committee of the whole. The
principal changes from the report
were made on the absent voter and
registration sections, and in dealing
with illegal voting.
Outstanding features of the report,
which the Committee on Executive
and Ministerial Departments has sub
nitted to the convention, are its pro-
visions for budget system and a
systematic plan of departmental or
ganization which will simplify and
coordinate the administrative ma
chinery of the State Government, and
which the committee has provided be-
cause of the outspoken demand for
such simplifcation in the interest Of
economy. The committee believes
that these two features will provide
means for the saving of millions Of
dollars within few years. The need
for a budget or some similar system
is pointed out by the committee re-
port in showing that the state ex-
penses increased from 81 ,191 900 in
1875 $14,735,O 900 in 1920, or an in
crease of more than 1900 per cent.
In that same period of time the tax
able wealth of the state had only in
creased 600 per cent and the popula-
ton but 200 per cent. The commit
tee believes that a budget system of
state finances is the only way to
keep expenditures properly adjusted
within income; to insure more care
full consideration of appropriation
measures, and place responsibility
where it belongs.
Against the present seventy-odd
boards and commissions, disconnected
and without apparent responsibility
the committee would establish a sys-
TEN of civil departments not more
than twelve in number. Of these
four are named by the committee
state, law, audits and accounts, and
treasury. The other eight, or less
are left to the legislature to name
These departments are to be under
the supervision and regulation of the
legislature. Subject to such limita
lions contained in this constitution
the general assembly may from time