The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-05-18
4 Constitutional .fHteHtt5i, eIit.

, When the new constitution OF th!S Ctu'o
was submitted To the people, for their rat
isication or rejection, in December, 1873
teach elector was compelled To vote either
fer or against it i'll its entirety, the CON
yention by it's ordinance having refused to
submit any one of its articles to a separate
vote. We believed then, aud think so
still that if a separate vote had been al
lowed on the proposed increase Of the
members Of the Senate from thirty-thlee
20 fifty, and of the House from one hun
trcd to two hundred, it wOuid have been
defeated at the hallot-box.
1t has recently been stated by a promi-
neut Senator from the western part OF the
State that an amendment TO the constItu-
ton will be proposed at the next session of
the Legislature restoring the number of
members in both houses to. l33 as provided
for by the constitution of 1888. We are
decidedly in favor of such an amendment,
and trust not only that it will be offered,
but that it will pass both branches at the
coming well as at the succeeding session,
as is required by the constitution, and that
vote of the people viii be taken on it at
the election in Ncvcmber, 1879. In our
judgment tile welfare Of the State has not
been promoted 10y the change, nor have the
beneficial results predicted by it, advocates
been realized. The argument most relied
on by the friends of increased representa-
tion was that bribery and corruption would
not in the future pollute the halls of the
Legislature, and that an eIa of legislative
putty would be inaugurated. The fact,
however, soon proved otherwise, for at
the adjourned session in 1916, which was
composed of the members of the very first
Legislature elected after the adoption of
the constitution, two members of the
lIouse-PetIoff, from Philadelphia and
Lyuott, from LuzeVne--weTe expelled for
having substantially sold their votes and
influence on the Wiliamsport boom bill.
The legislative atmosphere was highly
charged with corruption both by the friends
aud enemies of that measure, and although
only two members were disgraced, there
were Others who ought to have shared
their wei; nerited fate. 1t is a delusion
aud snare to suppose that tie purity of
Legislative body depends upon the mere
numDcr of its members, instead of upon the
character of the members themselves
BrGcs were offered and taken when the
Legislature consisted of 1873 members the
same thing has been done since its number
was almost doubled, and it will be repeated
if its number is increased four fold. The
corrupt use Of money will overcome num-
bers and bid defiance to penal laws and
constitutional prohibitions Such is the
lesson of history. Under the old arrange
ment, special legislation was the fruitful
source of corruption. But that vicious
system having been substantially abolished
10y the new constitution, the opportunities
ior corruption are measurably taken away.
and to that cause, and not to the increase
of members, must we look for, uurer and
more unseish legislation. But aside from
this, the increase in numbers lessons, if it
does uOt entirely remove, the feeling Of in
Gividual responsibility which ought to
govern the action of every member of a
legislative body. When that responsibility,
nOm whatever cause, ceases to be felt, the
true occupation of a legislator is gone
unnecessary, aud is specially Objectionable
in view of its enormous increase Of the an
uuai expenses of legislation. Will any
sane man seriously contend that the inter
/ csts Of the people Of Cambria county re
quiIe hat they should be represented at
Harrisburg by t,ro members OF the House {?
The idea is absurd and preposterous, and
the same question will apply to Blair, Bed
ford, Somerset, or to any other county in
the State which is now represented by two
members. it is simply as scnseless to
employ and pay two men to do what can
As well be done by one in precisely the
same time. Can any valid reason be given
why Philadelphia should send 80 members
TO the House aud s to the Senate The
. increase Of members i'll the two houses is
llS, whose pay and mileage per session
amount to about $125.C00. Do The tax
payers of the State receive an equivalent
in the shape of wiser and more beneficial
legislation for this large expenditure of
their money? If they do they have yet to
be made sensible of it. That there exists
growing dissatisfaction throughout the
State with the Legislature, as at present
constituted, cannot be doubted. 1t is true
that 10y their votes the people sanctioned
its numerical increase when there WAS no
alternative to do otherwise, and they have
low clear right to look to their represent
tatives to give them an opportunity for The
calm and deliberate expression of their
judgment on question of policy in which
they are 50 directly interested.
SAVED BY WINE.-llere is a story, told
US this morning, which VIC giveNs we haze
IpCpINpl and a iA.,IfiAn If II l.n.t