The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-12-24


ture, says the Patriot, which will meet on the
first Tuesday in January next is known to
the constitution ~ an adjourned annual
session. 1t will not be new Legislature
because one-third of the senators is renewed,
but an adjourned session of the legislature
which was chosen for two years in Sovem-
Der, 1874, and which will therefore remain
ia existence until its successor shall be chos-
en- in 1876. With the exception of a men,
Der or two elected to fill vacancies, the house
remains the sane, and the renewal of one
third of the members of the senate does not
aftcct the identity of that body. Analogies
of This kind are rarely complete, but if one
were needed it is found in the congress of
the United States. The officers of the house
elected at the opening OF the preseut session
will hold their positions until the dissolution
of the Forty-fourth congress on the Fourth
of March, 1877, no matter how many ad-
journed sessions may be held in the mean
time Such legislation rs may remain un-
finished at the close of the present session of
congress will go over to the next sessio n,
when it will be considered This is what is
proposed to be done with the unfinished bus
iress of the first session of the present legis-
lature of Pennsylvania.
At the close of the last session of the leg
slature it was proposed by the senate that
all the unfinished legislation should fall with
the adjournment of the session. The house
did not take this view Of the case, but held
that, the next being an adjourned session,
all legislation not finally disposed of would
remain in stdtu guo and be considered when
the legislature shonld again meet in accord
ance with the provisions of the constitution
This seems to be the sensible and practical
view of the question. In obedience to the
action of the house calendar has been pre-
pared and printed by the clerk showing the
condition of the unfinished legislation.
The house calendar shows that when the
first session of the present legislature adjourn
ed last spring about two hundred bills re-
mained undisposed of in that branch. Up
wards of forty of these bills are on third read
| ing. Much of this legislation is important
and the whole Of it can soon be disposed of
| in one way or another. But if the work of
last session is to be begun anew, and all the
bills, good, bad and Indifferent, thrown again
into the Legislative hopper to be ground over
there will be double toll and trouble For
what good Some of this legislation is of a
local and private CHARACTER, and due notice
has been given according to law. Ifit must
be started afresh the notices must also be re-
newed to the great trouble and expense of all
concerned
1t is intimated that the courts might decide
this legislation unconstitutional on the
ground that the renewal of one third of the
senate makes the next session of the legis-
nature new body. But the constitution dis
posed of the objection in describing the next
as an"adjourned annual session." If any one
should be disposed, however, to test the oonv
stitutionality Of an act of assembly on this
question that would be attended with much
less trouble than the renewal of all the in
complete work of last session and the conse-
quent protraotio9 Of next session and the
delay Of the public business. In the passage
OF the bills now standing on the calenders
the senate and the house all the requirements
of the constitution will have been complied
with as fully as if this proposition should
prevail. They will have received constitu-
tonal majority ofthe duly chosen representa-
tives of the people. But there is number
of these bills that will not pass and ought not
to pass. Ifthey are not dispatched at once
they will be started again on their weary
round. Some of the bills on third reading
on the house calendar have already passed
the senate and unless amended they will not
again come under the control of the latter
body. When any Of the important house
bills Of last session shall be sent to the sem
ate it will not be in the province of the sem
ate to inquire into their regularity. The SEN
ate will hardly commit an act of parliament
ary discoprtesy by refusing to consider them
But should the senate decline TO resume the
unfinished legislation oflast session on the
ground taken at the adjournment, the respon-
sibility Of embarrassing the public business
will not rest with the house. If TWO or three
unfinished measures of last session happen to
be in condition that is not agreeable to par
ties interested in them, this is a consideration
which should not be permitted to obstruct
legislation of the whole state, The real or
imaginary interest of individuals must yield
to the right and interests of the public.