The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1869-02-12
THE LEGIsLA

There is much written aud more said
in opposition to long sessions of the
Legislature, on the score of economy
and sometimes in the interest of good
Legislation.
We would suggest to our readers that
one fruitful cause sof lengthy sessions
and crude legislation grows out of the
inexperience of our legislators. Few
of our House of Representatives have
served more than once, and fewer still
have any acquaintance with each other
as legislators. The House organizes
and committees are appointed, but days
pass into weeks before they become suf-
ficiently acquainted with each other or
the routine of legislation to work easily
and with good judgment.
We think the crIidities of legislation
might be amended and tile length of the
sessions shortened by so changing our
State constitution rs to provide that the
term of Office of Senators shall be four
years one half of them to be elected
every two years; and the term of the
members of the House be two years.
The advantages of TINS lengthening
terms of the legislature are:
LIST. The Senate would virtually be a
continuous body and continuity and
system might and probably wonld be
preserved in our laws-at least, in ev-
cry legislature there would be a NUM-
Der of the most intelligent inembers
who could explain and defend the wis
dom of four preceding legislative SEES
sions and could also point out the errors
in past legislation.
End. The House would be saved the
time and labor of organization every
other year, and every second year
the State would have a legislative body
experienced in the routine of business
and hence able to despatch it with far
more rapidity, and from having watched
one year the workings of their own
laws the better able to amend their
faults.
81. The committees appointed to Wis
it and rep ort upon the various institu-
I tions of the State could discharge their
trust in the vacation, and having abumd-
ance of time, instead of as at present
limited from the shortness of the SEES
! sion to very.few days, could thorough
/ ly inspect the workings and affairs, oil
all the State institutions, detecting err
rors and mistakes or correcting misun-
derstandings concerning demonstrations
AT the present time committees cannot
censure nor commend with the feeling
that their reports are certainly correct
for they have not the time to be aceu-
rate, so that the guilty escape and the
deserving do not receive proper credit
4th. There could be joint committee:
of the two houses appointed, who could
during the recess examine with care
and report on such important laws a:
require more thought aud examination
than is possible during the present brie
sessions. - fsiets.
9Th. BY increasing the tenure of of
flee the dignity of the legislature would
be increased, resulting in giving the
State ahigher class of talents in its
councils. 49,
If our views meet with the concur
renee ofIlour editorial contemporaries
we trust they will commend them tc
their readers, with such additional ar.
guments in their favor as viii doubles.
occur to them. Such measure can only
be carried into effect by being first dis
cussed and urged upon the people BY
the press of the State. The probable
passage of the amendment of the con
stitution by the present Legislature, per
hitting more than three amendment
of the constitution to be submitted tC
the people at once, will render such &
change in the constitution as we sug
gest possible.