Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-11-21


To citizens and ORGANIZATIONS They
listened to intermluable debate.
Every clause and every sentence q
the proposed document was subjected
TO the most careful scrutiny. The
delegates wrought with sincerity,
earnestnoss and patriotism. They
acthated by the sole motive of pro.
ducing document representing the
aerage opinion OF the state. They
are entitled to the presumption thai
the document which il submitted rep.
resents real advance
Space does not permit an extended
discussion Of the new constitution.
Its principal points may be briefly
summarized
"The representation OF Cook county
In the general assembly is restricted.
The country counties will always have
two'thirds Of the senate. Cook county
can never have to exceed one.thlrd.
The state viii be divided into l53
representative districts, the districts
having as neraly as possible an equal
number OF citizens. On erepresenta.
tive will be elected from each district.
Cook county can never control legis.
lation. II Is best for tn. state AMI
best for Cook county thta this limitl.
ton should be adopted. 1t Is prone.
tive OF stability in government ana
good order in society. II this restric.
ton is not now adopted Cook county,
in a few years, will control both
houses of the general assembly. Other
state which have large centers Of
population have found 1t necessary t.
restrict representation. No small
area should dictate the policies of
the entire state.
by electing members Of the house
OF representatives from representative
districts cumulative voting, or the
pumping system, is abolished This
system has outlived its usefulness. It
was never adopted in any other state
It's continuance was not even urged
upon the constitutional convention
Representative districts will be small.
The candidates will be known. il
one man Is put up against another
man in small representative districts
the standard of legislation will be ma.
terially improved.
Growing out of the restriction Of
Cook county's representation, and as
compensation for restriction, home
rule for Chicago is provided for. Chi
cago is now in condition of depend.
ence upon the general assembly. The
state is required to shoulder problems
local to Chicago. The new constitu.
ton allows Chicago to write its own
ticket on local affairs. The down.
state is intensely interested in this
provision. The general assembly will
be relieved from consideration OF
problems peculiarl ylocal to Chicago.
For the protection of the state q veto
power is reserved to the legislature.
Provision is made for future tax
reform. The legislature is now re.
stricted to the general property tax.
Its hands are tied. The general prop.
erty tax has broken down under eco
nomic conditions. 1t is not fitted to a
commercial state. It's injustice and
inequity Is admitted. The new docu.
ment simply allows the general as.
emily to diversity taxation and more
Justly and equitably to distribute its
burdens. A tax on the income from
intangible property-notes, stocks,
bonds, etc.-may be substituted for q
tax by value on such property. A
General income tax may be enacted,
from which reasonable exemptions are
allowed. 1t may be graduated and
progressive, but the highest rate can,
not exceed three times the lowest
Of IN,
hibit double taxation are provided for
The additional provisions are not self.
executing. The legislature may, or
may not, in its wisdom, avail itself
of the extension of power authorized.
If it should do so, it would not mean
additional taxes 1t would mean dis
tributing the tax burden more fairly
The experience of all commercial
states has demonstrated the wisdom
of Investigation.
The judiciary is made to function
more expeditiously Expense and fail
ur of justice are proverbial. This is
because power has been withheld
from judges. The new document
vests the rule making power in the
Supreme Court This is neither new
nor radical. 1t has been exercised by
the United States Supreme Court
from the foundation of the govern
ment in admiralty and bankruptcy
cases. More recently it has been ex-
ercised in equity cases, The supreme
courts of number of states exercise
this power. It's wisdom has been
demonstrated. The Supreme Court is
merely vested with power to define
the procedure in courts. This power
will do much to bring about the
speedy administration of justice at re-
duced expense.
Appropriation methods are reform-
ed. One hundred sixty million dollars
of the one hundred seventy millions
appropriated by the last session OF
the general assembly were appro-
priatde during the last two legislative
days. Scandals have grown out Of
this practice. The people have been
given no opportunity to criticise ex,