Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-08-11

600. For this we get no return unless we get il
In the benefit Of the election
We have already seen that most of our officers
serve two years. Probably not five in every hum
dred fail of their reelection The result then is
In effect that every other yenr we have the ex-
penso OF general election 10 change five per cent
OF our officers. The difference in value between
the services Of the five per cent who are not re-
elected and Of those who take their places is a
very poor return for this expense.
hut the pccuniary cost of our election is by far
the least Of its expense Our elections, accompa-
nled as they are by local contests the intrigue of
cllqucs, and the struggle of hungry aspirants
have in them much that Is domcriizing. Not to
mention the corrupt appliances which unscrupu-
ious men bring 10 bear more OF less in every close
contest, there are Influences which cannot be stie-
matncd as immoral which have vet an unhealthy
tendency. Oar frequent elections bring about an
eagernes- for place aud consequent c0urting Of
popularity that works evil in our society Our
leading men in such conditions. instead Of being
manly and outspoken in their convictions, be-
come tmld in rcbuking evil aud cautious IN sus-
tanning the right. Instead of being public teach
ee, advocating wise c1unscIs and combating
prgudmcs and striving 30 turn public thought
INTO higher aud better courses. our public leaders
Halter the vanity and stimulate The urpiudiccs Of
the multitude, and follow wherever the passions
OF interests OF the many may lead them. Instead
oi being statesmen they become dcmagogues
50 t9g this eageness for place brings about an
unhealthy ambition Men l0rsake stations Of
greater credit and usefulness for the gitterina
allurements of Office. II s q very poor bargain
Tor the State % change useful private citizen
into hungry oiice-seekcr.
These, 30 be sure. are necessary evils the legiti-
mate results 0t our form Of government, but in
the Judgment Of your committee are Aggravated
by the frequency of our elections. Nhile they
are no sufficient reasons for doing away with elec-
uous entirely, they are reasons for having them
as unircluently as is consistent with the public
good in other respects.
Your committee might refer 10 the practice in
other States AS showing that tle judgment of our
best men, those who have sat a-reyiewers OF their
own State constitutions or who, having lived un-
der the clsttut0ns of older States, have assisted
in establishing new States, is tending % concur
renee with the views here expressed. but they
have preferred to discuss the matter upon princi-
pie and our own experience. From all the COM
sdemtiOus they have been able u give the SUBJ
ject your committee are of opinion that, while
they would not recommend such lengthy terms 0f
Office as are found in other countries, and some
states in our own country they are satisfied that
annual elections are unnecessary, and regard the
term Of two years as the iudicious mean which
both reasoning founded on principle and the ex-
perience Of other States concur in recommending.
JAsPER RaNp,
j. W. COLnuRN, : Committee.
WILLIAM llARNoN,