About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

1 Address to the People of the State of Arkansas [and Proposed Constitution] 1 (1918)

handle is hein.statecon/addpstark0001 and id is 1 raw text is: ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF-ARKANSAS: Your delegates in Convention assembled for the purpose of drafting a new Constitution for the State of Arkansas, after about eight weeks of work, now submit the result of their labors for your consideration and approval. We have retained the greater part of the old Constitution and have adopted and recom- mend such changes and modifications as in our opinion are necessary to the im- provement of the Government, to remedy the most striking deficiencies of the existing system, and to add such articles as appeared to be necessary to meet present conditions and the demands of the people. The most important changes proposed are the following: 1. A COMPREHENSIVE AND COMPLETE INITIATIVE AND REF- ERENDUM. The Initiative and Referendum rights of the people have been greatly enlarged. The Initiative and Referendum provisions of the present Con- stitution were taken from the Constitution of Oregon. Oregon has since amended its Constitution and enlarged the rights of the people, but the provisions of our proposed Constitution are more liberal than even the present Constitution of Oregon. Under our present Constitution only three amendments could be sub- initted by the Legislature and the people. This in effect, makes it very difficult and sometimes impossible for the people to propose an amendment. Under the proposal in the new Constitution, the Legislature is limited to three amendments, but there is no limit on the number which may be proposed by the people. If this is adopted, the people can without difficulty remedy any evil which may exist. 2. SUFFRAGE. Since the beginning of the World War the women's work has been such as to convince practically everybody of the justice and wisdom oi granting them suffrage. We have always boasted that the Government derived its just powers from the consent of the governed, and giving women the right to vote will carry out this provision so that it will no longer be meaningless. The new Constitution also provides that persons who are otherwise qualified to vote but who are absent in the military or naval service of the United States in time of war may be permitted to vote at whatever place they may be stationed without the requirement of payment of poll tax. We regard this as an important and just provision. Under our present Constitution persons who have declared their intention to become citizens of the United States are permitted to vote in all of our elections although they may be citizens of Germany, Austria or Turkey, or any other country, and may be enemies of our own country. Under the pro- posed Constitution no person is permitted to vote unless he is a citizen of the United States. We call especial attention to the fact that woman suffrage is urged by President Wilson as a war measure and we believe it the duty of every patriotic citizen to support this measure. 3. ABOLITION OF LOCAL LEGISLATION. We call the people's atten- tion to the fact that heretofore the greater part of the time of the Legislature has been taken up in enacting local laws. The new draft of the Constitution abolishes this and yet enables localities to provide for all the laws of a special or local nature that they need, and the Legislature can devote its entire time to general laws. This alone will save a great deal of money and valuable time. .. STATE-WIDE PROHIBITION. We have provided for State-wide pro- hibition in the new Constitution but the Constitution does not attempt to fix any penalty, but leaves the matter to be dealt with by the Legislature and the people as they think proper. The people may fix whatever penalty to them seems proper for a violation of this provision. Prohibition is another war measure, the adoption of which is urged by Presi- dent Wilson. 5. MERGER OF THE TAX COMMISSION AND RAILROAD COMMIS- SION INTO ONE COMMISSION TO BE KNOWN AS THE CORPORATION COMMISSION. This Commission is given jurisdiction over all public utilities and in our judgment is of the very greatest importance to the people of the State at this time. 6. CREATION OF A BOARD OF PARDONS. This Board is to consist of the Attorney General, Secretary of State and Auditor of State, and provides for an investigation by the Board and that the Board shall pass on all petitions for pardons. 7. QUADRENNIAL ELECTIONS. The new Constitution provides for the election of State officers every four years instead of every two years and limits them to one term. Quadrennial elections alone will save a vast amount of money to the State and prohibit one succeeding himself or being a candidate for some

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most