Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-06-26
I'VE WAIT TEN YEARS .

NlAH
- rooders know that we have no
.,arIor faithin resolutions or speeches,
P''a az they may indicate the practical
50 r !~ Of the people. Yet, after all,
P'a ,, sound principles are enunciated in
u'4! oIatforms, which should become
Pa .,otinr rules of policy. If we read
'''' ions of the times Alright, the repub-
ID, ,,7 If Maine struck keynote, when
.,"r' demanded that "the growing evil
D. nrivate legislation should be up
',ted and, also, when they further
Irad .that the practice of loading
,So onpropriation bill, essential to the
.,onort of the government, with OBJ
..,ionable legislation in the shape OF
.oodnents toward the close of the
sion is a prolific source of abuse and
fraud upon the people, and its re-
,.-r, 10 urgently demanded" We have
..orentIy called the attention OF our
.u,w citizens of Vermont, to the dam
w.. 10 be apprehended from special
:,oti,n. we have congratulated our
I,.s that we have hitherto, escaped all
...srs from this source, and we have
.al that the bars should be put up, so
..-t onr legislative record might always
..on % pure and unblemished rs it
..r;. The history of the United States,
..l If opr sister States, is black with
,..arl Of fraud and corruption, growing
..,of This special legislation. The news
...ers Of Vermont, in common with
.',.eof the country, are, almost daily,
.,,rlinr the alarm, that through this
,.ar and only through this door, can
,D. nnople and their legislators be cor
.,o,l We turn to our statute books,
,.s- after wear. and find that more than
,a.,. Quarters of the time of our Legis-
r.,,re is consumed in matters Of special
r.-,2,ion. and that our taxes are largely
...,,rrted from this cause. All see the
a.. d.alcul,y; all demand remedy.
When. however, the only complete and
.laaa,c remedy is pointed out, we are
.t hy the proposition that we must
us,f t.n years before accomplishing
.,vliag. Can we afford to wait?
with our present constitution, we are
,t only compelled to endure the evils
.. ,arrial legislation, but we are also
#n,.,o have objectionable legislation
tackled To our appropriation bills. Gen
,.' Garfield, of Ohio, defended his vote
81. uacE ray on the ground that he must
,,. for it or defeat the appropriation
~" and thereby entail upon the country
r.pyprnse of an extra session Of Con
sr.s.. If the argument and defense was
..ul. it would also answer for the sup
hort Of any other obnoxious measure.
The back pay and increase of salary
amendment was germane to the appro,
nralion bill, but in Vermont--for any.
Thing contained in the constitution pre-
rrnting-a Credit Mobilier Bank anC
mi1road corporation combined could be
created under an act entitled can act t
paw the salary of the Governor. W.
have uo,. it is true, yet been wronged il
This way, but will it always be so? II
Nrw York a constitutional amcndmen
+. now pending providing for this very
state Of affairs, and going even further
The amendment if adopted, gives tn,
Governor power to veto an appropri
alton bill in whole or in part. lie cal
approve one item, and it becomes law
disapproye another, and it is of no ef
feet, and so on to the end. Must W
wait ten years before we place it in tn
power Of the Governor TO prevent dan
grous legislation or appropriations
without blocking the wheels Of govern
mont? Must we wait ten years befor
va prohibit the Legislature from al
tempting to deceive the people in th
tile to law The power of the pee
nr 10 call a convention to revis
,.e constitution is, we doubt not
4yw conceded, but the question remain
how long can we afford to wait befor
doing It? Shall we place ourselves /
,hc advanced ranks of political reform
or shall we fall into the rear, and onl
act when we are forced to, in order
resist the cncroachments of fraud an
corruption?