The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1867-02-08
LEGISLATIVE REFORM--IT MUST BE
FUNDAMENTAL.


The people can no longer close their
eyes to the fact that the hideOus cancer
of legislative corruption has spread its
loathsome pollution over the entire
body polite in Pennsylvania; and in
difference emusthenceforth be criminal.
For years venality has been entrench-
ing itself in the citadel of delegated
power, steadily growing and widening
its ramifcatiOns, until it's mOnstrOuS
sweep has drawn legislature into its
seething whirlpool, upon the very
Threshold of its official labOrS, and
bartered the choicest gift and the most
responsible trust the loyal people have
to confer.
Nor in this croWning wrong alone do
the appliances and fruits of legislative
degradation appear. Around it, in it,
through all its channels of power, and
all its tributaries, the monster sits en-
throned supreme. So clamorOus were
its shameless votaries for plunder, that
the important committees of the pop
ular branch, which control vital and
profitable interests, had to be divided
and subdivided, and even then the
number almost doubled to swell the
chances for ill-gotten profits; and the
subordinates of the two branches have
been increased to glut insatiate appe-
tites until they number within one
fourth of the whole legislature. Sons,
fathers and other relatives of legisla
tors crowd around it in idleness, and
profigacy and venality rule while the
People have treachery and taxation as
their reward.
"Reform the Legislature by the cleo
ton of upright men," respond all who,
with the affectation of integrity, wish
corruption to maintain its sway. We
answer-it cannot be done. 1t has
been tried, time and again, and it has
signally failed. We have seen, and
served in, reform legislatures, and the
only perceptible difference was the in
creased license to debauchery assumed
by the refOrmerS because Of their sup
posed standing at home. 1t is idle to
attempt reform by any such process.
But few who have the stern integrity
for such an effort will undertake the
thankless task, and supple reformers,
who are demoralized by the very hope
of contact with peculation, are very
ready to proclaim their own virtues to
the people, and betray them by dou-
BILE fraud.
There is one simple, practical, effect
ual remedy, and if the People move in
earnest they can enforceit. TherefOrm
must be radical-it must be fundamen-
tai. A Constitutional Convention, and
that only, can reach the terrible dis
ease, and that is attainable at any time
the legislature shall submit the ques-
ton of a Convention to popular decis-
ion. It should be demanded by petit
ton, BY delegations, by mass meetings,
by themanly utterances of an unshack-
led Press, until even the corruptionists
themselves shall bow to the thunder of
their masters. Let them demand a
Convention to incorporate in their Or
ganic law provisions substantially as
follows:
l. That the Senate shall consist of
one hundred members, to be chosen by
single districts.
2. That the House of Representatives
shall consist of four hundred members,
each to be elected in a single district.
3. That all legislation relating to cor
poration interests shall be by general
laws, and that no special charters or
corporate privileges whatever shall be
granted but by the courts.
4. That there shall be no special ap-
preparation of money from the treasury
to claims except upon judicial finding.
5. That the members of the Legisla-
ture shall be paid five dollars per day,
for the period of sixty days and be
prohibited from appropriating to them
selves any additional sum for protract-
ed sessions, or for extra or adjourned
sessions beyond sixty days in the year.
6. That no subordinate officer shall
be appointed in either branch, or re-
ceive any compensation for services,
unless bill shall have been passed by
both branches creating the office and
defining its duties.
7. That no billof any kind shall pass
either branch without receiving a ma
jority of the whole vote on a call of
the yeas and nays.
"Itwould be most expensive REFORM"
answer the quibblers who, unwilling
to meet the issue squarely, wish to de-