The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1872-02-29

J
creating the sinking fund it is made
criminal offense to use this fund, or any
part of it, for any other purpose than the
payment of the public debt and interest
thereon. This part of the Constitution,
and the act to enforce it, are habitually
violated by sworn public officer. The
State Treasurer is compelled either TO dis
regard the Constitution aud the statute,
Tor prejudice the credit of the State, by
refusing to- pay current demands on the
i treasury when there are no funds on hand
to meet them, except those in the sink
ing fund and practically the former al
teruative is always chosen. Nothing SO
induces a contempt for, and disregard of
the law, whether constitutional or statute,
as its constant violation with impunity by
the sworn officers chosen for its execu
ton and it can require no further argu-
ment to demonstrate the propriety and
1 necessity for some change to remedy this
condition of things. -s --.s -4 ..
". That part of the Constitution reg,
ulatiug the election of Justices of the
| peace aud aldermen should be so modi-
fed as to adapt its provisions to the pub
/ lie convenience. .ll
/ 1t now declares that these officers "shall
/ be elected in the several wards, boroushs
and townships, at tie time cf election Of
constabies " In practice this constitutional
/ fixation Of the day on which these elec
tons must be heldis found very incon-
venient in the filing of vacancies !;
especially in those districts in which but
one justice or alderman is authorized by
law. In effect, ordinary vacancies by
death, resignation, removal or otherwise,
and these Offices in newly created dis
tricts, have often to 90 untitled for almost
or quite a year. This might be regarded
by some as of minor Importance but the
frequency OF the annoyances arising from
this cause, and the numbers pref judicially
affected thereby, occasion more inconven
ience and hardship than other eonstitu
tional defects of apparently much greater
magnitude. Sundry statues have been
! passed in the vain attempt to obviate this
difficulty but it must be apparent moth
ing but an appropriate amendment to the
Constitution is adequate for the purpose
V. The State Treasurer should be elect
ed by the popular vote, aud not by the
Legislature. 5f1 .s+t' -.-
Sad experience has demonstrated our
present mode of election to be unwise.-
As administered, this is the most profit
able office in the State and as a conse
quencc great efforts are made to secure
! it. When the Legislature meets, and
long before, the members elect are i'm
portuned by the candidates and their
friends and it is notorious that legisla-
tors are bought and sold in the unseemly
and disgraceful scramble which occurs
annually at the election of State Treas
urer. The Legislature is demoraliZed at
! the very commencement of the session
4 the people Of the State are humiliated !;
and the whole performance is a scandal
upon the fair fame Of the State
Let US save ourselves from all this, by a
proper constitutional amendment max
ing the Treasurer elective by popular vote.
The term should be two years ; and for
obvious reasons the person elected should
thereafter be inligible, at least until one
full term had interviewed.
VI. The extension of official terms by
Legislative enactment should be prohibi
ted. NHI E
This is one variety Of special lesisla-
ton but so peculiar, and of such import
ance, as to justify special notice. Almost
every session of the Legislature is oc
cupied more or less by the consideration
OF bills of this character Sometimes
they include only one officer, and at 9th
ers whole class. The incumbents hav.
ing been elected, or appointed as the case
may be, for the prescribed legal terms
become distrustful Of their constituents
or of the appointing power, aud appeal tc
the Legislature to grant them second
/ terms, or at least an extension OF existing
: ones Combinations are formed, the prac
tice known in legislative parlance as log
rolling is invoked, aud every fair and un
fair means used to accomplish desired re
suits. Such efforts and practices are de
parturcs from all sound and just principle!
e Of legislation the accompanying scenes
e and conflicts are unseemly, and sometime:
E disgraceiul; and the whole evil should b.
! sternly prohibited by constitutions
amendment.
, VII. The compensation of the mem
bers of the General Assembly should b.
fixed by the Constitution.
| have known representatives of charac
ter and intelligence, who on all ordinary
c questions might be. regarded as men o
e principle (; who could be safely relied up
, on for an honorable vote IN almost an.
0 emergency, and yet who could not resis
. the temptation to vote for an increase o
c pay whenever the opportunity was pre-
S septed. Others there are, of less princi
e pie but more cunning, who on such oc
5 casions are found exhausting all thei
e ability and ingenuity to secure the covetel
: increase and at tho same time to maxi
. up such a record for themselves that thei
: constituents may not be able to hold then
y responsible Such things belittle repre-