Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 February 1911 — Governor’s Ego Suggests New Constitution for Indiana. [ARTICLE]

Governor’s Ego Suggests New Constitution for Indiana.

Lafayette Journal. Governor Marshall’s proposed constitution fox'the state of Indiana is a political farce. If the governor possessed a greater sense of humor it might be suspected that he offers the constitution as a joke. He is charged with amending the constitution in order that the present legislature may have an excuse for not doing the things it promised to do. But it is easier to explain the governor’s action on the hypothesis that he is suffering from an attack of exaggerated ego, and that he considers himself a maker of constitutions. The suggestion that Indiana adopt a new constitution, prepared by Tom Marshall and ratified by a bunch of democratic politicians, who owe their political existence to a defense of the saloon, is a choice bit of folly. After revising the constitution Mr. Marshall called a few leading democratic politicians into conference and had the draft endorsed. We are delighted to know that Tom Taggart looked upon the governor’s suggestions a# timely and as well supported by political conditions. After a chosen few had approved the draft, the democratic members of the legislature were allowed to listen to the recommendation and permitted to add their endorsement to Tom Marshall’s proposal. A democratic legislature is expected to adopt the amended constitution and put the Tom Marshall constitution to a vote of the people. Indiana must be in a sorry plight if the making of a constitution rests with one man and needs only the endorsement of g few democratic politicians. A constitution is organic law; it rests with the people and not with some inflated office-holder, nor is it dependent on the approval of a few professional party workers. If Indiana needs a new constitution the making of it should be left with the , people—it should be drawn regardless of party politics' Governor Marshall suggests that he is of greater wisdom than the people of Indiana.