Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1870-02-18

vice, on tho snmo principle TINT jurymon
arc selected but a short time before tho
forms of court 10 which they arc returned.
This objection Is answered practically Ivy
tho Same facts wo have just boon consider
ing. In theory thore would DC forco In tho
objection If nil our mombors wcro vcnal.
They arc not such, aud although raro in
stances nro found of individual shortcom-
ings, our General Assemblies never have
boon carried by corrupt means, and with
our present basis Of representation there Is
1ittlo fear they over will be. Tho great ma
iority of our members arc honest mon, und
we may snfoly expect they will continue
such.
Now If a biennial election gives greater
opportunities to approach tho ono vonni
mombor, II must ut tho samo time give tho
ton or twonty honest members to DO found
for every corrupt ono n better opportunity
for honest study and careful information
as to thoir official duties, and give moro
wisdom to them, which Is tho controlling
action of these Assemblies.
Another very important consideration Is
tho expense of annual elections. We have,
say 10000 to $4,000 votes cast ut overy State
election. Tho time of each Of these
voters in attending tho election is just as
much tax on the community MS If each
voter wcro assessed tho value Of that time,
and tho money paid ovor to some tax-gath-
! error. Add to this the time spent in primary
meetings, caucuscs and conventions, and
in canvassing and soliciting votes, and it is
safe to say that ovory election costs the
! a. f,,ll Ioxsf
of each votor, or 100000. For this VIC get
no return unless we get II In the benefit Of
the election.
We have already seen that most of our
officers servo two years. Probably not five
In every hundred fail of their recollection.
Tho result then Is in effect that every other
year VIC have the expense OF n general cleo
ton to change five per cont Of our officers.
The difference in value between the SER
vices of tho five per cent who nro not re-
elected and of those who take their places
is n very poor return for this expense.
But the pocuniary cost of our election is
by far tho least Of its expense. Our cleo
tions, accompanied MS they are by local
contests, the intrlguos Of cliqucs, md the
struggle of hungry aspirants, have in Thorn
| Ulucu lllul Is ANbl w iiChNiOi
tho corrupt appliances which interruptions
mon bring TO bear more or loss in every
close contest, there arc influences which
cannot be stigmntized as immoral which
have yet an unhealthy tendency. Our fire.
quent elections bring about an eagerness
for place and n consequent counting Of pop
ularity that works OWL in our society. Our
leading mon in such conditions, instead Of
being manly and outspolScn in their con-
victons, become timid in rebuklng evil
and cautious in sustaining tho right. In
stead of being public teachers, advocating
wise counsols and combating preudicos,
and striving to turn public thought into
higher and bettor courses, our public load
crs fattcr tho vanity and stimulate the
prcjudices of the multitude, and follow
wherever the passions or interests of the
many may lead them. Instead Of big states
mon thoy become demagoguos.
So too this oagorncss for place brings
about an unhealthy ambition. Men for
sake stations of greater credit and useful
ness for tho glittering allurcments of Office.
1t is a very poor bargain for tho State 10
change useful private citizon into a hun
cry Office seeker.
These, to be sure, are necessary evils, the
legitimate results OF our form OF govern
mont, but in tho judgment of your COM
mittcc they are aggravated by tho frequcn-
cy of our elections. Whilo thoy are no
sufficient reasons for doing away with cleo
tons entirely, they aro reasons for having
them ns unfrcquonty rs is consistent with
the public good in other respects.
Your committee might refer to the prac-
tice in other States ms showing that the
Judgment of our best mon, those who have
sat as reviewers of their own state constitu-
tons, or who, having lived under tho con-
stitutions OF older states, have assisted in
establishing new states, Is tending TO con-
currcncc with the views here expressed
but they have preferred 10 discuss the mat
tor upon principle md our own experience
From all the considerations they have beer
able TO give the subject, your committed
are Of opinion that, while they would no
recommend such lengthy terms Of Office a
ARE found in other countries and som(
states in our own country, they arc salts
fed that annual elections nro unnecessary
and regard the term of two years MS the ju
dicious mean which both reasoning found
ed on principle and the experience OF othc
, states concur irrrccommcndlng.
JASPER RAND,
J. w. CoLBURN, Com.
e WILLIAM HARMON
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