Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-31

Washington, ID. c., Oct. 28,-Tinker-
ing with the constitution will be a sub
ject much discussed when congress gets
back on the job after the elections.
Several changes in the organic law of
the nation will be proposed and at
least n OF these will be directed to
the purpose Of making it easier to eff
feet constitutional amendments.
In short, not only is there a mani
fest disposition to do some tinkering
with the venerable document, but
there is insistence that the tinkering
should be made less difficult of accom-
plishment.
The latter proposal is a decided de-
rarture from the ideas of the fore
fathers who framed the constitution
and in doing SO made clear their judy
every way against hasty or ill-advised
alterations. They undertook to see
that no amendment could be effected
that had not been scrutinized carefully
and that did not have back of it an
overwhelming sentiment of the people
of the country,s and that they made a
good job of it is attested by the fact
| that since the constitution was adopt
ed in 1889 it has been amended only
10 times and 10 Of these amendments
| embodied the so-called bill of rights
which had been virtually agreed upon
at the time the constitution was draft
ed and were adopted in 1891.
The eleventh amendment. providing
that a state cannot be sued by a citi-
zen of another state, or by citizens or
subjects Of any foreign country. and
the twelfth, providing for the naming
Of candidates for president and vice
president separately, followed within a
few years-the n in 1898 and the
other in 1854. Then there was a lapse
of 81 years without a single change in
the constitution, with the three grow
ing out of the Civil war coming in
1855. 1868 and 1870.
Forty-three years passed and two
amendments were declared in effect
in 1913-the Sixteenth. known as the
income tax amendment. and the Sew
e%nteenth. which provided for the cleo
ton of United States senators by d.
rect vote of the people of the several
state. Seven years later the amend
ments were made effective which gave
the country prohibition and woman's
suffrage.
Four Carefully Considered
The last four of the amendments
appear to have passed the. test con-
templated by the forefathers- Ger
tainly they were debated pro and con
for years and were considered with
care and elaboration. and it would
seem that they must have been de-
manded by an overwhelming public
sentiment. Indeed, it was the difficulty
with which these constitutional
changes were brought about when it
was evident that a majority of the
people wanted them that led to the
proposal that amendments be made
easier.
Senator Owen of Oklahoma is the
sponsor for this idea and has intro
duced resolutions on the subject in
several congresses. One of these res
e~lutions is now pending before the sen
ate committee on the judiciary. II
provides that the constitution may be
amended "in the following manner and
in no other way
"An amendment or amendments OF
the calling Of a constitutional conven-
ton may be proposed:
"By O majority vote of the members
of each house of congress-:
by either house should the other
house twice reject the proposal. anc
a failure for three months to act ia.
vorably shall constitute a rejection.
Congress shah propose an amend.
ment or amendments or the calling Of
q constitutional convention when re.
auested by a majority Of the state
legislatures. Congress or either house
may submit competing measures"
4 This differs radically from the orig
: inal provisions Of the constitution undel