Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-05-24
0neTerm. or Two?

! that is what those who advocate one TERM III Oui
State, county and town offices, propose to do.
OF course if the Offices sre simply means for
bouoring ambitious gentlemen with titles, there
is no question on the subject-not only should
there never be q reelection to Office, bat the terms
Of Office should be shortened, say to six months
Then the NEW deals'' will take place about as
often as in game of cards, and everybody's turn
will come round in rapid succession. If, on the
other hand, the Offices are created for the public
good. and the people desire the best return for
the mones they pay for salaries and support of
legislatures, they will do well not to adopt rule
which will deprive them of the services Of most
of their public servants, just as soon ss they
begin to be good for something.
Take the case Of our town representatives and
State Senators Every one who knows anything
about it, knows that as a rule mans first term
! is wholly spent in learning how to do something
in his second or subsequent terms. 4 legislative
BODY like our State legislature, is some
what complicated affair, with numerous arbitrary
rules, found necessary in order to the systematic
despstch Of business, and whose business differs
widely in it's nature from any other kind Of
business The new legislator takes his seat, and
fnls himself inside big machine that it is al
new to him. The parts are moving and for
some purpose evidently; bu. what Is being done,
and toic IL is done, takes good deal Of time Cor
him to discover. To gain the necessary eI-
perience and .e.f-confierce 50 that lie can take
hold Of the levers himself sud drive the machine,
take ttill longer time. and little practice It is
no; every maB, by sny means, that gets the
business o. Legislator learned in one ordinary
session. The beet man feels at the end Of his
fret legislative term, that he hiss only just got
ready to be of come service ss Legislator.
Yet the proposition IS deliberately made. to
adopt rule, which if carried out would give
Us legislature composed wholly Of new men
Men who if they had a house to build would
send fer mechanic, seem williag TO commit the
more important business OF constructing our laws
to apprentices, and the merest tyres at that
We should regard the sssemblage once in two
years Of le gisature elected under the one term
rule, as cause for the utmost anxiety and
alarm suca Legislature would be wholly under
the control Of the few old members, who through
exceptions to the rule might be found in the
two house,; or quite as il likely would be wholly
manageable. And when one term of the Legis-
lature Was done, smother would be needed st
once to correct the blundegs Of the irst
For ouch reasons We deem it all-important
that the good old rule Of giving our Senators
and Representatives Al least one reelection,
should still be msiutained We can conceive Of
no argument against it, except the consideration
that the Offices are not comi1 around often
enough to suit sspirants for flee. But that
makes no reason st sll for the great boiy of the
voters, who are rot sEpirznts for Office. And
sven those who desire these Offices, we should
,sy, would prefer to wait little longer, and
When ele:ted go into Office with consciousness
hst they c.a hold it till they can be Of some
ervice in it.
The same oonsiierai5ns hold good as to our |
and the people have recognized |
heir force 1.-THE adoption Of the biennial Eys-
EN- in our State maker reason for adopting |
he one term rule, Why has that rule not been
nforcel a. to the Congressman, who have al
rays been chosen bieanially,
Nor do We see why any exception should be
e ms5e in the case Of the State officers. II has
cen saii that the ciices Of Governor and Lent
Governor sre chiefly honorary ESQ, they bet
U be abolished. There are Offices enough in
-hich honor c,a be gained by eficien, public
s-yica, sid no ueej Of Offices whose honor c,n-
ste wholly N the title. But they are not mere
honorary. The Office Of Governor Is a very
sspo1sibla oze. lis duties, If not sriuous. are
ary important. Why should We 10; avail our
.lves still of whatever advantage there is in
zPerisnce in our Governors; ali IN the incen-
re 20 faithful care of the Commonwealth, which
,ues from the FEASIBILITY Of ge,ei7.ng recog- I
.tion Of ones merit, in tha honor Of re-elec-
On. A Governor elected with the certainty
49, one election will be 81. will be likely to be
IS cs-efll to consult the wishes Of the people
an one whose reelection depends on his Civ
2 satisfaction. Any Lieutenant Governor will
'eside in the Senate N ore espab'y in his second
I'm than in his first.
In short, rs to ali these ofcasi. seems TO Us oil
e u;rao,l importanc tia. the old rule Of Civ
g every faithful public servant reelection
ould stll be msintline1
We know that a good many gentlemen who
e most active in political affairs, do not agree
II this view; Dat have maie up their minds
At they desire the one term rule, and are
SLY endeavoIin ing to convey the Impression that
ey represent the people in this decision We
k to the voteF,As they assemble in csucuses to
eot their delegates to the State and County Con-
n;ions, and to nominate town Representatives, to
lyince these one term politicians to the con- Q
IT.. We trust the voters will send men to L
conventions who are pledged to stand by the :
,ood old Vermont rule - of renominGiing for /
econd term officers who have served them \
thfGlly for enc term, and to observe the ssme /
e in their nominate Of town representa- t
es. Il
Under no other rule will our biennial system d
endursble. t