The Constitutional Points

The Constitutional Points.

The opponents of prohibition in this country have raised two constitutional points against the validity of the local option law. That these points may be understood by our readers, we give the sections of the constitution under which they arise. Article IV, section 38 of the constitution of Michigan reads. "The legislature may confer upon organized townships, incorporated cities and villages and upon the board of supervisors of the several counties such powers of a local, legislative and administrative character as they may deem proper." The anti-prohibitionist's argument is that the legislature has no right to delegative legislative powers to counties. They may do to cities, villages, townships or to boards of supervisors. The claim is that the county option law to be valied would have to place the option on the boards of supervisors and not in the electors. Article V, section 20 of the constitution of Michigan says, "No law shall embrace more than one object, which shall be expressed in its title." The claim is made that on this ground the law is invalid for the title of the law is an act to regulate the manufacture and sale, etc, while the act is really "to prohibit." These are the two circumstantial points to be argued before Judge Kinne.