Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1848-03-10

LEGISLATIVE EEToRM Any person who has
observed the proceedings, not only Of the present,
but of all preceding territorial legislatures has
doubt, noticed that threeourths OF all the business
claiming attention, has been purely of local ma
ture, interesting not the whole territory, but sec
tons. Day after day are the members of the diff
ercnt sections of the territory, called to deliberate
and decide questions, in which the section they
represent and their constituents have no more in
terest than the man in the moon; and not only are
they called to deliberate and decide on these ques
tons, but their constituents called upon TO pay
their proportion of the expense incurred in these
sittings. OF what possible interest to the county
of Racine is the location of the county seat of
Washington county, or of Winnebago county, or of
Marquette county; or what interest to them is the
creation of new town in Portage county, or the
altering of a town line, or renewal of taX-Har-
ialt in Calumet county, yet three-lourths of the
business upon which orr members are spending
their time. is OF this character.
There is a provision of the new constitution
which authorizes the Legislature to confer the pow
of local legislation upon county boards This
reform obviously just and proper, and one which
trust will be carried out in the liberal spirit III
which it was framed.
Our county and town governments are instituted
especially for the convenience of the people in re-
ference to their local affairs and it certainly needs
not argument to show the proprety of combining
legislation, upon all subjects, exclusively to the
people interested There can be no good reason
given, why in a matter which affects, say the peo-
pie of Racine county alone, the people of Brown
or Winnebago, or any other county, should be
called upon to discuss and decide. Nor is there
any good reason why the people OF Racine should
pay any portion of the expense necessary to settle
questions which in no-yise interest them To carry
out this reform then, will not only establish a
correct and just principle, but it will curtail one
half at least OF the sitting OF the Legislature and
lieve the State generally to that extent of expense
and taxation.
But this does not by any means comprise the
whole extent to which reform in this department
of government may be carried A commission is
TO be created to revise the practice OF courts
is designed, here again will be an extensive source
oflegislation cut Off And again it will be per
ceved that very nearly all subjects of general inter
est may be comprized by general laws The Plank
Roads for instance, which have occupied so much
Of the present session of Legislature. One general
law might have been passed IN three days, to com
prehend the whole of them and also embrace any
future companies for Improvements of that charac-
ter; and as with these things so also with very
nearly all rightul subjects OF general legislation.
Add to this too, that the constitution very wisely
prohibits legislative divorces and then reflect had
these reforms been previously carried out, what
would our present legislature have to keep them at
the seat of government. And as with this legisa-
ture, so with those that succeed il. Garry out
these reforms, and it will be an ingenious body of
men who can trump business 10 keep them any
great length of time at the seat of government at
the public expense.
Are not these reforms just? Are they not fully
practicable Who can deny it! Shall we not,
then, have them? People of Wisconsin-people
of Racine-these reforms for your benefit; they
within your grasp they exist in the ballot box
Shall they take form or not? 1t remains fer you
to answer the question.