The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-10-23
A Barrier to Progress

1ndisna's present Constitution fails to meet the
progressive needs of this state.
That is a fact which should be strikngly evident
10 every intelligent voter of the state. And on Nov.
every voter should mark his opposite "Yes on
the proposal "Are you in favor Of converting con-
stitutional convention in the year 1872"
The present Constitution was adopted in 1851. IL
was drafted to meet the conditions Of eighty years
ago. Since that date all ordinary conditions under
which we live have changed as they never before had
changed over a stretch Of centuries.
TIL present Constitution stands barrier to
progress in many ways but there four outstand-
ing instances
These are the revision Of taxation laws school
laws and municipal government laws and reorganiza-
ton Of the judiciary.
The people Of Indiana are bound hand and foot
by their archaic Constitution when it comes to re-
lief from any Of the out-of-dae laws which govern
these important public institutions.
Their complaints now against tax laws are futile.
But with a Constitution brought up to date, these
laws SO could be revised that the tax load would be
redstrbuted taxes reduced homes real estate and
farm lands, personal property classified and tax
placed on intangibles that would be fair to'au
The school laws SO could be amended that the
schools would be taken out of politics. whch mas
cursed the administration of education in this state
for MANY years They could be revised so that the
SUPERINTENDENT Of public instruction could be elect
sd for longer term than the present totally inadequate
one of two years or could be appointed by the Gov
ernor They could eliminate waste in buying waste
in nav rolls waste in every other division OF education
now so garingly apparent.
The municipal government regulations so coulo
he changed that the legislature would not waste haI
its time at every session in settling disputes that
riobtfu1lv should be decided by the municipalities
themselves thus devoting the time which it should
to state business
The judiciary could be reorganized to elm
mate waste of time and money in jury selecuon ana
DELAYS in Justice. now disgrace to the state
In these and myriad other ways, CONSTITUTIONAL
convention would benefit the state
Ornaments Of the convention contend that the
time is not ripe citing economic conditions as rea-
son for delay-a thin and flmsy argument
These same depressing economic conditions nave
made the people think. Now is the time when they
can take I'D a problem of this nature in spirit OF
calm sober elaboration
The time certainly is appropriate than IL
would he were the state riding the crest Of pros
perity wave when the sentiment always is that this
is a good old world just as 1t stands
Foes of the convention declare that the cost would
Re too great estimating that 1t would reach TWO OF
three millions.
What if it does reach that sunni Redistribution
II the tax load and the millions which would be aooeo
10 the state treasury through making those who now
dodge taxes pay their just share of the cost OF staVe
government would repay it tenfold.
There is no sound argument against the conven-
ton Remember that when you go to the polls
Nov 4.