New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-26
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.

LEGISLATURE TOO SMALL TO BUY.
r7sB INCREASED RESPONSIBILITY OF DIMINISHED
ACCOMPLISHMENTS THE WORST OFFICE
HOLDERS.
70 ne Edftor Of RE Tribune
SIR: do not believe in the plan of making
Legislature too big buy least would add to
the feature OF size Improvement which would go
nearer think TO the root of the evil than anything yet
suggested We will not quarrel much about the size
though Congress is twice the size of our Legislature
and Is generally supposed to be quite purchasable
easy terms il conclusive that addition of few
hundred oneborse township politicians would add to
legislative dignity purity, be an insurmountable
obstacle to such lobby Kings Gould and Vanderbilt.
with millions OF railroad revenues % dsburse for legal
services pretty mob of an Assembly we should have
with one fame-huntng clamorous politician from each
town. Yon refer 70 Connecticut Remembering what
the NewYork and New Haven Railroad IL, and has long
BEEN IL viii hardly do to say very much about the
purity OF Connecticut legislation Instead OF looking 10
large and unwieldy bodies for pure legislation, do not
the facts Justify experimenting in exactly the opposite
airectonf Our State Governors have usually power
IN legislation equivalent To two-thrds OF their Legs
latures and yet while your suggestions point to small
Bodies as being purchasab il be said TO the credit
OF the race OF Governors that instances OF eorrup
ton among them rare. Who accuses any OF
the Governors of New-YOrk with having been bribed
into signing vetonR bilsi Party considerations and
when have any charges OF bribery been banded about
concerning them Never with any show Of proof 70
back them. And IL left TO me- would sooner row
rotten parties are. give some one man the power
make laws rather than leave il 70 Legislature OF
i've hundred a thousand members. Responsibility
would attach in the first case, responsibility which
rould be evaded hidden, and which would be met
and discharged with decent regard for the public in
terests Abolish the Legislature entirely, and let the
Governor make well sign the laws and there can
be particle OF doubt but that should have better
laws than The idea is radical, and may not find
favor, as II is Of the line Of civil service ex
pertments But we have borrowed q sys-
tenn Of Legislative checks and balances 4" from
England which is confessed failure. IL would
seem 10 be quite as rational 10 try It 10 try THE
IEBUSEs plan Of a Legislature too big 70 buy which
would certainly be filed 10y small, cheap men, whose
friendship railroad pass would often purchase for
their whole terms OF service. But began 70 make
altogether different suggestion which is that no mat
ter what the size Of the Legislature its official
would be reasonably satisfactory provided the people
could he persuaded into making the oflce-seeker az
and forever ineligible ofice-holder. Let Us
Fleet TO ofice-nOt the men who want office and
slamorous for it-but those who far as their acts
show, do not want #! Why do these
noisy politicians seek office at all. particularly
those with $SoO salaries artachedi Why do candidates
from all parts OF this State from four states chase
after Mr.. jay Gould, begging him for money in aid Of
Their election 70 an once winch they cannot
honest pennyi Simply because they that Office
further selfish purposes They expect to sell them
selves. and they do And 50 common has tins become
that 10 can be set down q rule that the who
puts himself forward a candidate for office, and
spends. offers 70 spend, his freely in ELECTION
Expenses" is corrupt man, who intends 20 get his
money back. in some way, from the people. But
Il. recognizing this fact, choose TO cur
tail the citizens liberty a title, in order To
promote the general good and make the solicitation OF
votes the suggestion Of nomination. Offense
carrying with 1t total disqualification for the Office
sought any other shall get the root Of this
gigantic evil possible 70 conceive. short of uni
yersal virtue. Elect who do office, az
least have never sought IT, and they VIII discharge its
lnucs with some OF their responsibility. Their
tastes and associations disconnected with party jobs
trickerY; their habits OF selfdependence win be
guarantee against stealing from the State OF the
acceptance OF brides; and their appreca.
lion OF the compliment Of unsOught
election viii be spur 70 show that public confidence
not misplaced The principle has the merit Of ap
peing 70 party prejudice, and it be adopted IN
connection with Legislature too big TO buy, small
nc as now or none at all. Aud ii viii be adopted some
tay and not distant day many imagine. Pop
IaI revolutions make speedy work OF old abuses the
ngAt OF public temper and public patience is evil
genty pretty nearly exhausted with the rotten mis-
government which subject. Reforms are some
Zines fastened by giving free rein 20 abuses 30 because
lbuses may flourish more than ever for Few years,
eTe TO suppose that the day OF deverance
Iom deIuagOgsn is not drawing nigh. LINN.
Albany April IL, 1873.