The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-10-31
nr rREnER1cK J. HAsK1N

WASHINGTON, II. T., OCC 81
Tinkering with the constitution Will
be a subject much discussed when
congress gets back on the job after the
elections. Several changes in the
organic law of the nation will be pro-
posed an at least one of these viii be
directed to the purpose OF making l.
easier to effect constitutional amend
ments.
In short, not only is there mani
fest disposition to do some tinker
ing with the venerable document, but
there Is insistence that the tinkerlng
should be made less difficult of ac-
complishment.
The latter proposal is decided de-
parture from the ideas of the forefath-
ers who framed the constitution and Ill
doing so made clear their judgment
that is should be safeguarded in every
way against hasty or ill-advised alter
ations. They undertook to see that
no amendments could be effected that
had not been scrutinized carefully and
that did not have back of it an over
whelming sentiment of the people OF
the country, and that they made
good Job of it is attested by the fact
I1dI SliCG luG hdo oONP'
ed in 1889 it has been amended only
10 times and ten 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 1871.
The eleventh amendment, providing
that a state cannot be sued by citi-
zen of another state, or by citizens o.
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 one in 1898 and the
other in 1904. Then there was lapse
of 81 years without a single change IL
the constitution, with the three grow
ing out of the Civil war coming in 1865,
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 seven
teenth, which provided for the cleo
ton of United States senators by di'
rect vote of the people of the several
states. 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 ap-
pear to have passed the test contem-
plated by the forefathers. Certainly
they were debated pro and con for
Years and were considered with care
and deliberation, and it would seem
that they must have been demanded by
an overwhelming public sentiment
Indeed, it was the difficulty with
which these constitutional changes
were brought about when it was evil
dent 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
dueed resolutions on the subject in
several congresses. One of these reso
buttons is now pending before the
senate committe 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
ito may be proposed:
by majority vote of the mem
bers of each house of congress;
by either house should the other
house twice reject the proposal, anc
a failure for three months TO act fay
orably shall constitute rejection.
Congress shall propose an amend
ment or amendments or the calling Of
a constitutional convention when re
quested by majority of the state
legislatures. Cogress or either houss
may submit competing measures
This differs radically from the origl
nal provision of the constitution un
der which the congress can propos,
amendments only when two-thirds o
the members Of both houses shal
deem it necessary, and can call con
stitutioaal convention only on the ap
plication of the legislatures of two
thirds of the several states, The con
stitution stipulates that amendment:
so proposed shall become effective
only when ratified by the legislature;
of three-fourths of the several states
or by conventions in three-fourth;
thereof, as the one or the other mod,
of ratification may be proposed BY
congress.
Senator Owen would change The
CUT THIS QUIT is WORTH MONEY