Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-04-23

The pay of the members of the legislature
for the years l847 to 1858, inclusive, was 81
per day. From 1854 10 1856, inclusive, S3
per day.
An inspection of the foregoing table disclos-
ses that the payroll of the two houses has in
creased from $65,9S9 in 1847 to $l76,47i in
1857, 1t also appears that the increase was
gradual and comparatively slow up to the
year 1851 while since that time the annual
amounts have been enormously swollen, and
from the two causes above mentioned as the
other columns show
The committee notice the subject of con-
tingent expenses stating that the sums paid
to clerks and other officers have increased
from So, 6Sl in 1851 to Sl5,7lS. The attempt
to fitch from the public treasury, under the
pretence of necessary facilities, large supplies
OF stationary for the counting room or library,
or generous supplies of valuable and costly
volumes of general history or natural science
under the garb of diffusing knowledge, de-
serves, in the opinion of the committee, severe
apprehension.
The committee strongly condemn the in
oreasing resort to special legislation, and rec
ommend a general incorporation law.
The committee notice the fact that each
Legislature is made up so largely of thew
members, and urge upon the electors the
practice of returning to each Legislature a
considerable number of old members This
course, they think, "will do much towards
limiting the sessions and improving the quaA.
ty OF the legislation of the commonwealth"
They think the Legislative sessions have
been OF enormous and unnecessary length"
They have received petitions from some forty
towns, in different portions OF the State, signed
by over 5000 voters, asking for constitution
al amendment which shall limit the legisla-
tive sessions to one hundred days. The effects
OF such Limitation, taken in connection with
reduction of the House to 240 members, upon
the cost OF legislation, they illustrate by
table, IRON which il appears "that the cost of
our Legislative sessions for the last six years,
exclusive of all contingent expenses, has
been $S44, FOG, and the proposed reduction in
the number of the House, with session Of
100 days, would have caused saving to the
treasury Of $4ll,220, OF nearly half of
the whole payroll. The contingent expen.
ses would doubtless have been reduced in
nearly the same proportion.
The committee, in conclusion, submit bill
to make it imperative upon petitioners to serve
orders of notice upon persons interested, at
sucha length of time prior TO the session OF the
general court that afiidavits OF their publica.
ton and the petitions may be presented dur
ing the first ten days Of the seEcssn of the leg.
isature. They also report resolve SO to
amend the constitution, that the legislative
sessions shall not exceed 100 days, unless two.
thirds Of both branches of the Legislature
shall, by yea and nay vote, decree their ex-
tension which extension shall not exceed
ten days.
The resolve appropriating $4,000 to test the
search law of Virginia, was ordered to a third
reading, by a vote Of 20 to s.
HousE.-Passedt 20 be Engrossed. Bills. to
extend the time for the construction of the
Agricultural Branch Railroad for the better
preservation OF municipal records; to change
the name and location of the Aitna Furnace