Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-12-09
EX-GOVERNORDUNNE
FLAyS BASIC LAW
AT GAYETY MEETING.
URGES AUDIENCE TO BEAT PRO.
POSED DRAFT AT NEXT TUES.
DAYS SPECIAL ELECTION -
HEARD BY LARGE CROWD.

Ex-Governor, II. #. Dunno addressed
gathering Of $50 Ottawans, in an
address against the proposed new con.
stitution Of Illinois, which Is to be
voted on December IL. The former
executive of the state. who is n law
yer. O judge, former mayor Of the city
of Chicago, and one of the best known
men In public life, was greeted en-.
Enthusiastically by the audience, many
OF whom had heard him speak on pre-.
vious occasions.
He spoke fiuently and distinctly, at
lacking the proposed document, and
Offering numerous arguments and crit.
dcisms against It's adoption.
Mr.. Dunno was introduced to the
audience by attorney, A. f. Buffers,
who spoke briefly against the pro.
posed constitution in adopting the
document.
In opening his address, Mr. Dunno
spoke OF the Importance of next Tues.
days election, saying in part
ut is more important to them In its
consequences than any presidential
election.
At a presidential election the people
elect their chief executive for four
years and their representatives in con-
gress for two years. If mistakes are
made. they can be corrected within
four years
On Dee, IL the citizens OF Illinois
VIII hold an election which will settle
and determine fundamental law of
this state, binding the people for prob
ably half a century. and, it may be,
Tor century. Within that funda.
mental law all laws passed by the
legislature must be restricted.
In 1870 the peope vi this state
adopted the constitution under which
we have been living for the last fifty.
two years. In most respects it is a
most excellent instrument It's bill of
rights, framed for the protection of
the life and property of our citizens.
Is most admirable one. and the PEG.
Pic of this state have been very we'll
coutent with Its provisions, as a whole
Amending Machinery a Defect.
ut has, however, one serious defect.
SO proud were the trainers of the con.
stitution of 1870 of their work. and so
perfect did they regard it at the time,
that they made it, deliberately, very
difficult of amendment. Article IA, pro.
vidirg for amendments TO the con-
stltuton, provided that "the general
assembly shall have no power to pro.
pose amendments to more than onn
article of the constitution at the same
session, nor to the same article oftener
than once in four years"
This rigorous and narrow provision
relating to amendments has made the
constitution of 1870 very difficult of
amendment. This article should be
amended so as to permit three. four,
hye or even six amendments to be
presented at the same session.
Bill Of Rights Weakened.
tine proposed new constitution
emascuiates in two particulars. the
bill OF rights In the constitution of
1870. the right to offer bail. gtlaran-
iced to all persons charged with crime
mot capitaD by the old constitution,
is Withdrawn in the proposed new con-
stitution and the attorney general is
empowered, without any showing of
probable cause, to prosecute bv infor.
nation.
These charges were made deliber.
ately with the view of denying to per.
sons charged with crime the right
guaranteed to them by the present
constitution of giving bail, and having
the right to showing of probable
cause before being deprived of their
liberty. This is admitted by the pro.
ponents of the proposed constitution
on page 10 of their address to the
pepole"
Section q in article IT, of the pro-
posed constitution is distinctly reac-
tionary, nonprogressive and framed
With the purpose of defeating the will
OF the people as already expressed at
the polls.
When the holding of constitutional /
convention was voted for by the peo-
So