The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-12-04

~ YBY COu4
11lno1s 80 aiocuess1 eatar-
NGeo1in9 q 3 pablie uAeg Doet-
~ c1rcnik couSt room b. c.
Moline, lelegats from this
1ce 70 The constitutional con-
oa. advocating, and Harry Nc
Bfn, yeDeessntative n the gen
osoembly, 1Gnouncing III char
The PROPOSED new ~constitu-
viii b voted on at . special
c6oa Dse.,l3.
nr1lsr In the evening when Hr.
Cnskrtn WAS denouncing the con-
tEotion IN nery terms, the meet
md all the outward appear
~ IT developing into . heated
Interesting debate, but II set
down to q friendly discussion
" the flrst fare Of words.
s6e; meeting. which was held
~ the auspices Of the Peoples
6tue Of Illinois. was opened with
eokort talk by Myron Jordan, Mo-
4 -, ! state o0lcer In the league.
Jordan referred to the propos-
new constitution as "a great
homc to divide the farmers from
~ producing class In. the cities
I'D to create hostility and strife
s33 schools and other public insti-
atukions."
nj. McCaskrin, urging rejection
.ao& the document. said: Il believe
III standing by the constitution
ocpted by the people Of the sta e
x Illinois in 1870. That constitu-
tjpn was adopted at . time when
tie influence OF such q man as
lincoln was still felt. 1t has stool
tho test Of years. 1t is not q rad
ical, reactionary document like the
proposed new constitution. 1t rep
rosents more nearly a government
o3 the people, for the people and
" the people,"
Slaves and Dictatorsf
Mr.. McCaekrin here pointed out
sections in the proposed new con-
s<itution which he charged we're
harmful to the safety and welfare
Of the people Of the state. This
constitution" he said, gives the
supreme court the power to do
away with the common law and
I. gives the attorney general the right
to arrest people and throw them IN
jeil without bail. l therefore say
trat this document is more revolu-
tsoEary and radical than the plat
for, and program Of the commun-
+ har patty" He said that IL
10 or IL YEARS after the adoption CT
the cor = ent, il it is adopted, here
will be 20 classes of people-oDe
the sla'as End TIE other the d!cta-
tors. Mr.. McCask,in charged the
repre- seatrtives to the constitution.
al conrcnt!en with betraying the
.rast OF the people.
Mr.. >D;etz. in reply to Mr.. Nc
Caskrin. saii: ~ do not wish L
enter into q lengthy and drawn OF
discussion of tie proposed new con
stitution. Mr.. Mccaskrin said the
l have betrayed the people. N ha
that word betrayed l think the
thing that Mr.. McCaskrin meant II
say was that the representatives
to the consti .utional convention
put one over on Oscar CarlstrOn
and myself. l came back from tn,
convention with a clear conscience
The reason l voted against the mi
ttative and referendum was that
thought that there should be q limi
tatlon OF Cook county in the gen
eral assembly. Of the state Of Ill
nois.
III the Initiative and referendum
should exist there could be no lin
ftation Of Cook county in the stat
senate. l believe that no part o
the state should rule the rest Of tn
state. We can't have an initiativ
and referendum when a part of tn
state, like Cook county and CHI
cago. needs to be restricted in tn
general assembly.
II want 1t understood that I we
chosen by the people of this distri,
to represent them at the constit,
tional convention. They had conf
dence enough in me to elect me I
that meeting. Why, then, shouldn'
they have confidence in my judG
mont now? Everything in the pro
posed new constitution was thresh
cd out on the floor Of the conven
ton for two and a half years.
believe that the new constitution
. good, solid and progressive docu
ment for this great state Of ours.
THE conservatives say that tn
proposed constitution is too radi
cal, while the radicals say that II |
too conservative. So that alone 4
proof Of its merit"