The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1922-11-10
CONSTITUTIONAL
CONVENTION NEWS

Secretary of the Missouri Press
Association
jefferson City, Mo. Nov. 2.---Agree-
ment was reached in the committee of
the whole Wednesday evening on
amendments to the initiative and ref
erendum after several days of eX-
haustive discussion. Changes made
from the present constitution are
noted briefly as follows;
Percentage of signers required for
referring an act of the general as
senfbly raised from to IL per cent.
Leaving the percentage for initial
ing laws at the present per cent,
but increasing to II per cent for in
itiation petitions to amend the con-
stitution.
Providing that referred laws shah
be submitted to the voters in the fol-
lowing language: "Shall the act OF
the general assembly be rejcted?"
Providing that laws initiated by the
people shall be subject to amendment
or repeal the same as laws passed by
the general assembly,
Providing that all referred laws
shall be voted on only at general cleo
tions.
Basing the percentage required on
the whole number of votes cast for
governor at the next preceding cleo
ton in each of at least two-thirds of
the congressional districts, instead of
on the vote for justice of the supreme
court.
Requiring that petitions for initia-
tive or referendum be left with some
official authorized to take acknowl-
edgments of deeds, and providing that
the signer shall not be required to
pay fee.
Providing that voters not able to
write their names shall affix their
mark and that their names be written
for them and witnessed by two wit
nesses, and that in districts requir-
ing registration all signers of petit
tons shall be registered voters.
The final agreement was reached by
vote of 81 to 20. The proposition
is subject to further amendment in
the convention before going to the
Committee on Phraseology and Ar
rangement, after which there will be
two opportunities to change before
the final vote.
No question that has been before
the convention for discussion has pro-
voked so much oratory as the initia-
tive and the referendum. More than
half the members present during the
days of general debate have ex-
pressed themselves on the question,
which was generally considered the
Invest issue before the people today.
A few have taken. the extreme view
that the initiative and referendum
should be wiped out entirely. while
the other extreme would make but
slight modification Of the present law.
The majority report of the COM
mittee made three definite changes in
the present act. The percentage of
signatures required for initiating
law was changed from 8 to per
cent and the percentage for referring
a law from to per cent of the
whole vote cast for 9ovGsMot in the
next preceding election in at least
two thirds of the congressional dis
tricts of the state. Another change
suggested, in the form. of safeguard,
required that every signer in a dis
trict where registration was the law
be registered. The third requirement
related to the signatures of voters
who could not write their names but
made their mark. This was the same
provision as agreed to in the amended |
report.
The minority report raised the per-
rentage to 10 per cent in each case |
and would require all signers to go |
to the county clerks office or to the |
office of the election commissioners |
in cities and sign their names in the |
presence of an official who should |
satisfy himself as to their qualifica-
lions. Persons making their mark
would be required to have the clerk, |
ieputy or election commissioner sign |
heir names and addresses for them.
The members speaking on the ques-
ion were united IN one particular and
hat was that there should be some
:hange from the present loose method
If applying the law. 1t was charged
among other things:
That names of dead men appeared
IN ptIlllOnS tlICuldlCu III ~. LOuloJ
lsking to refer certain laws, and that
he clrculators, who were paid ten
,ents per name, in many cases mis-
the purpose of the law
IS it was passed by the general as
'embly.
That it denied to the people re-
publican or representative form of
which was guaranteed to
hem in the constitution of the United
States and of the State of Missouri as
1t first enacted.
That under the present law it was
possible for about per cent of the
,oters to get law referred that was
rot unsatisfactory to the other 81
Der cent.
That it required majority vote of
he general assembly pass a law
hat had been thoroughly studied in
committee and on the floor and read
.hree times and then signed by the !
governor, but that the work could be
lndone by minority of the voters,
The majority Of whom knew nothing
about the law they were referring or
,oting on.
On the ether hand the friends of the
aw contended that it was just as bad
o pass the minority report as to wipe !
tut the law altogether, as it would
rave the same effect. 1t was de-
Jared that farmers and laboring peo-
l.. i Il. a II