Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-05-29
Biennial.

Biennial.
Our biennial baby is not coming to hi
christening without making some trouble
after all. Though yet in his pulling infancy
he shows the accustomed infantile vigor o
resistance in approaching new objects and
,untried ways.
The state press is having its say, generally
about these days, in relation to the rule here
after to be adopted in the election of state
officers, and, as we are very glad to see, the
discussion withdraws the issue to be tried
from all personal considerations leaving the
names of proposed candidates to stand in the
problem to be solved as d" one term " and
Z" two terms
Several of the state papers, and the FREE
MAN among the rest, at time when it was
generally understood that Governor Stewart
had decided the matter, as far he was
concerned, in favor Of one term, expressed a
friendly preference for Hon. Frederick Bill
ings of Woodstock as his successor. But
there has been change of direction since.
it would seem, and the question Of the re-elec-
tiOn Of a Governor under the biennial system
has been preciptated, and must be met at
the coming election. And it is eminently
fit that the fullest and freest discussion both
by the papers and the people should precede
the action Of the State Convention, that an
honest and intelligent expression may be
given by those who are delegated to act up
on the question at issue, before it reaches
the people for a final decision.
But the purpose of this article is not to
argue either side of the question at this
time, but to give the views of some of our
State exchanges as expressed mostly the
past week.
The Burlington Free Press Of the 22I inst.
makes a general argument in favor of re-
election which we copy entire.
ONE TERN, OR TWO?
Why should the people of this State desire
to cheaper every Office, and lessen by more
than One-half the return which they receive
for the money they pay to their public ser
wants Yet that is what those who advocate
one term in our State, county and town
offices, propose TO do.
OF course if the offices are simply means
for honoring ambitious gentlemen with titles,
there is no question on the subJect-not
only should there never be a reelection to
Office, but the terms of Office should be short
ened, say to six months. Then the d" 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 Ited for the
public good, and the people desire the best
return fer the money 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 as they begin to be
good for something.
Take the case of our town representatives
and State Senators. Every one who knows
anything about il, knows that rule
mans first term is wholly spent in learning
how to do something in his second or subse
quent terms. A legislative body like our
State legislature, is a somewhat complicated
af4ir, with numerous arbitrary rules, found
necessary in order to the systematic despatch |
of business, and whose business differs widely !
in its nature from any other kind of Dusi- |
ness. The new legislator takes his seat, and |
finds himself inside big machine that is
all new to him The parts are moving and |
for some purpose evidently; but what Is
being done, and holO it is done, takes a good
deal of time for him to discover. To gain
the necessary experience and selt-confdence
so that he can take hold of the levers him
self and drive the machine, take still longer
time, and little practice. 1t Is not every
man, by any means, that gets the business of
a legislator learned in one ordinary session.
The best man feels at the end of his first
legislative term, that he has only just got
ready to be of some service as a legislator
Yet the proposition is deliberately made,
to adopt a rule, which if carried out would |
give US a legislature composed wholly of /
new men. Men who if they had house to
build would SEND for a mechanic, seem will |
ing TO commit the more important business |
of constructing our laws to apprentices and |
the merest tyros at that.
We should regard the assemblage once |
IN two years of a legislature elected under |
the one term rule, cause for the utmost /
anxiety and alarm. Such a legislature
would be wholly under the control of the |
few old members, who through exceptions
to the rule might be found in the two houses |
or quite likely as it would be wholly I'M
manageable. And when one term of the
legislature was done, another would be
needed at once to correct the blunders Of the
first.
For such reasons we deem it all-important
that the good old rule of giving our Senator's
and Representatives at least one re election,
should still be maintained. We can conceive
Of no argument against it, except the con-
sideration that the Offices are not coming
around often enough to suit aspirants for
office. But that makes no reason at all for
the great body of the voters, who are no.
aspirants for Office. And even those who
desire these Offices, we should say would
prefer to wait a little longer, and when elect
cd 20 into Office with consciousness that
they can hold it till they can be of some ser
vice in 10.
The same considerations hold good as to
our Congressman, and the people have rec
ognized their force. If the adoption of the
biennial system in our State makes a reason
for adopting the one term rule, why has that
rule not been enforced as to the Congressman
who have always been chosen biennially?
Nor do we zee why any exception should
be made in the case Of the State officers. 1t
has been said that the Offices of Governor
and Lieutenant Governor are chiefly honor
airy. If so, they better be abolished There
are Offices enough in which honor can be
gained by efficient public service, and no
need of Offices whose honor consists wholly
IN the title. But they are not merely hon
orary. The Office of Governor is a very re-
sponsible one. Its duties, if not arduous,
are very important Why should we not
avail ourselves still of whatever advantage
there is in experience in our Governors and
in the incentive to faithful care of the com
mOnwealth, which comes from the possibility
Of receiving a recognition of ones merit, in
the honor of a reelection. A Governor
elected with the certainty that one election
viii be all, will be likely to be less careful to
consult the wishes of the people than one
whose reelection depends on his giving salts
faction. Any LieuteHant-Governor will pre-
side In the Senate more capably in his second |
term than in his first.
Ia short, as 10 all these Offices, it seems to |
us of the utmost Importance that the old rule |
of giving every faithful public servant a re- |