Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 53, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 October 1914 — POLITICAL PARTIES AND A NEW CONSTITUTION [ARTICLE]

POLITICAL PARTIES AND A NEW CONSTITUTION

Parties and Leaders Alike Express a Favorable Attitude Toward the Proposition On© of the most encouraging and significant facts in connection with the movement for a constitutional convention for Indiana is the favorable attitude of the political parties and the responsible leaders. Governor Ralston in his message to the Legislature in 1913 said: “In my opening campaign speech last fall, I stated that ■while I personally favored a constitutional convention. I had no authority to commit my party to such a movement, but that with out regard to my individual views 1 would, in the event of my election, make such recommendations as to the advisability of calling a convention as I believed fairly represented the Views of the people. What then are the views of the people on this subject? The Democratic Legislature in 1911 believed that the present constitution of Indiana did not meet the requirements of the people, and so holding it prepared for submission to the voters of Indiana a new constitution. The Progressive and Republican parties, in their respective platforms of 1912.. declared in favor of a constitutional convention Unless the Democratic legislature of 1911 and the Progressive and Republican parties were all mistaken, the people of Indiana are in need of and want a new constitution Is it strange that they should desire an up-to-date organic law’ Their present constitution was adopted more than sixty years ago. Since then the development of our ‘state has been marvelous Its popular. n has greatly increased and its intellectual, social and mater.a. progress have multiplied many fold New questions have arisen that cannot be solved under • present instrument, and new ' -iidlt: ns make it necessary f <r the people to assert r.gk’s they cannot exer> ;-e thereunder What is a government for if it is not to serve the purpose of the people? Thomas Jefferson believed so strongly that this was the object of government that he maintained that a constitution should contain a provision, for its revision every twenty years. There have been but few. if any men in this state who' excelled the late Governor Isaac P Gray in ability accurately to interpret public sentiment. In his message to the legislature more than twenty years ago he strongly advocated the calling of a constitutional convention. I have thus briefly stated the facts that I believe show tiiat the people ‘want a new constitution, and personally I favor a constitutional convention." This legislature, which was strongly Democratic, passed the Act submitting the question of calling a constitutional convention to the people, and tile Democratic state platform of 1914 Says: “We approve the action of the last General Assembly in making provision that the people mav. declare whether they desire a convention to frame a new constitution for Indiana." The Republican state platform of 1914 declares: W e reiterate our former declaration in favor of the revision of the constitution of the state by constitutional convention consisting of representatives elected by the people, the new constitution so preparedjo be submitted to the people for ratification or rejection." ' And the 1914 platform of the Progressive party of Indiana says: We emphasize the necessity of calling a constitutional convention and urge the people to vote therefore at the coming elec- > tlon." The present situation in Indiana surely justifies every claim put forward in the above statements as to the need of a new constitution. This demand is a logical protest against the continuance of a situation which makes progress in the political development of the state impossible. It is unmistakable evidence of the growing spirit of progress In state and local government.