MESSAGE OF HIS EXCELLENCY THE OF THE CONVENTION THEREON. THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, BOSTON, August 17, 1918. Hon. JOHN L. BATES, President Constitutional Convention, Boston, Mass. MY DEAR MR. BATES:-I am handing you herewith the report of the Commission to Compile Information and Data for the Use of the Constitutional Convention that has been made to me. I cannot express too strongly my appreciation of the very efficient work of this Commission. It has been notably good, and has been completed within the limits of the small appropriation set aside for it. I am transmitting it to you for such action as the Constitutional Convention may wish to take on it. Yours very truly, SAMUEL W. McCALL. IN CONVENTION, TUESDAY, August 20, 1918. A communication from His Excellency the Governor, transmitting a report of the Commission appointed, under chapter 28 of the General Acts of the year 1917, to compile information and data for the use of the Convention, was read. On motion of Mr. Luce of Waltham the communication and report were referred to a special committee of three members to be appointed by the President. IN CONVENTION, WEDNESDAY, August 21, 1918. The President appointed Messrs. Luce of Waltham, Sherburne of West Springfield and Kerr of Malden the special committee of three members to consider the communication from His Ex cellency the Governor transmitting a report of the Commission appointed, under chapter 28 of the General Acts of the year 1917, to compile information and data for the use of the Convention. Subsequently (Mr. Kinney of Boston being in the chair) Mr. Luce of Waltham, for the special committee, reported recommending the adoption of the following order: -- Whereas, The work of the Commission appointed to compile information and data for the use of the Convention not only has been of material help to the Convention, but also, in our judgment, is a valuable contribution to the literature of political science; therefore be it Ordered, That a record be made of our appreciation of the worth of this work, as well as of the assiduous labors of the members of the Commission, William B. Munro, Lawrence B. Evans and Roger Sherman Hoar; and Ordered, That the report of the Commission and the message of the Governor transmitting it to the Convention be published as the final number of the Commission's bulletins, and that five hundred copies be printed for the use of the Convention. On motion of Mr. Luce the provision of the standing order requiring the order to be referred to the committee on Rules and Procedure was suspended; and the order was then adopted. REPORT OF THE COMMISSION TO COMPILE INFORMATION AND DATA FOR THE USE OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. To His Excellency the Governor: The Commission appointed under the provisions of chapter 28 of the General Acts of 1917 to "compile and render accessible, in convenient form and arrangement, such information, data and material as may aid the Convention in the discharge of its duties", submits the following report: 1. ORGANIZATION OF THE COMMISSION. The Commission, composed of William B. Munro of Boston, chairman, Lawrence B. Evans of Medford, and Roger Sherman Hoar of Concord, duly qualified on March 1. Henry Ward Bird of Boston was appointed secretary, and Lawrence B. Evans was named vice-chairman and was given executive direction of the work of the Commission. Offices were provided for the Commission in rooms 425 and 426 in the East Wing of the State House. 2. GENERAL SCOPE OF THE COMMISSION'S WORK. A few general rules were at the outset agreed upon by the Commission to guide it in its work, particularly in view of the limited time and money at its disposal. These rules may be briefly stated as follows: (a) That an endeavor be made to find out the specific subjects likely to be dealt with by the Convention, so far as these could with any probability be ascertained in advance, and that attention be concentrated upon such subjects. (b) That so far as practicable only data of an official character should be compiled, that information should deal only with matters of fact, and that this information should be transmitted to the delegates without any |