The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-09-22


be created by law for this purpose.
The intention is in this way to re-
lieve the governor of some response
bility in granting pardons to please
political friends especially on the
eve of his retiring from office.
No other changes of Importance are
made in the committee report on Ar
ticle V of the old constitution.
In the report made to the conven-
ton by the Bill of Rights Committee
important changes are the abolish
ing of capital punishment; simplify
ing the form of indictment by adding
the words, "that the indictment or
information shall state in plain and
concise language the facts constitut-
ing the alleged offense;" adding the
state motto, "Salus Populi Supreme
Lex Esto," to section l; amending
the section relating to the freedom of
speech, by emitting from the end the
words, "and the ury under the direc-
ton of the court shall determine the
law and the fact" providing means
for the legislature to enact laws to
imprison men for willful non-pay-
ment of judgments rendered for
maintenance or support of depend
ent wives and minor children; max
ing trial by jury to apply in all ac-
lions at law, either civil or criminal,
whether arising under the common
law or any statute; by providing that
the legislature may authorize trial
by a jury of a less number than
twelve jurors, except in felony cases;
and may provide by law that less
than the whole number of jurors may
return a verdict, except in criminal
cases; by authorizing the legislature
to provide for a grand jury of less
than twelve jurors and that less than
the whole number of grand jurors
may return an Indictment or true
bill; and by providing that grand ju-
ries shall not be convened except up
on an order of a Judge of court Of
record having criminal jurisdiction;
and adding the new section, "The
right of citizens of Missouri to vote
or hold office shall not be denied or
abridged on account of race, color or
SEX"
The proposal providing that 1.-THE
reading of the Bible shall not be eX-
cluded from the public schools of the
state" is returned without recon-
mendation as it met with tie vote in
the committee. Proposal No. 234,
providing hat "The labor of human
being is not a commodity or article
of commerce." is also returned with
out recommendation for the same
reason.
Three minority reports have been
filed. The first recommends the adop-
ton of proposal No. 173, which pro-
vides that 1.-THE right of appeal, eX-
cept by the state in criminal cases,
shall not be denied by any nisi prius
court in this state" The second
changes the freedom of speech sec
ton so that every person shall be
free to say, "and by any mode of i'm
preston or reproduction, to freely
publish his ideas, opinions and sentl-
ments on all subjects whatsoever"
which is much more liberal than the
existing section. The third relates to
| churches holding property for other
than for church edifices, parsonages
and cemeteries, the contention being
made that churches should be al
lowed to hold property for other pur-
poses in entire harmony with their
work; also dissents from the major
ity report on the indictment section,
and opposes the abolishing Of the
death penalty.
The most important change pro-
posed by the Committee on State
Officers and Salaries in its report to
the convention deals with the duties
of the governor and a provision for
Public Safety Contingent Fund"
1t is provided in section that "The
governor shall take care that the
laws are distributed and faithfully ex-
ecuted; and he shall be conscrvator
of the peace throughout the state.
and to that end he is authorized and
directed in cases of emergency to en-
ploy such number of executive agents,
who shall be citizens of the State OF
Missouri, as he may deem necessary
from time to time to keep him in
formed as to the health, peace, safe
ty and general welfare of the citizens
Of the state. The Legislature is di.
rected at each biennial session to APP
propriate for fund established, and
to be known as the public safety
contingent fund.-, such an amount as
the governor may deem necessary
not to exceed $4,000 to carry out the
duties prescribed for the governor
The governor is allowed to pay Out
from time to time such sums from
this fund for other expenses, in cases
of emergency, as he may deem neces-
sary to promote the general welfare
of the citizens of the state. Any
money in this fund unexpended at the
end of the biennial period will revert
to the general revenue fund
Several minor changes are made by
the committee made necessary by th'
addition of women to the voting pop
} ulation and also recognizing theil
right to hold office. The matter Of
salaries for state officers, which thu
! committee considered, was finall!
! passed on to the legislature, which i!
directed to establish the salaries b!
law.
Report that the Committee on Tax
: alton proposed limiting st. Louis t,
E rate of 60 cents on the hundred dol
, lars valuation for city purposes ant
/. 80 cents for county purposes brough
! hurry-up visit from Mayor Kiel ant
!, Deputy Comptroller Felix E. Gum
. oF c. o,,ic uyho doc1a rod TINT th