The Portland daily press., 1877-02-06

| answered and the old reasons are not appli-
cable, it is not to be supposed that the change
is advocated without some argument in it
favor.
So far as it is possible to get at the new
argument it proceeds upon the assumption
that the Legislature is an evil, a necessary
evil to be sure, but an evil which we would
do well not to inflict upon ourselves any
otteDer than is needful. This may be an OBJ
iectionable way of stating the argument but
really it comes to Just that. The specica-
tions emphasize the idea. 1t is said that
every winter, the Legislature passes many
foolish laws, and public and private interests
are constantly in jeopardy as long as the ses-
sion lasts. Besides what the Legislature
actually passes, Its time is taken up with
thousand foolish things which it does not
pass. For instance, a member last winter
stood up in his place and proposed to have a
record kept of every mans entrance and exit
from every town in the State, in order that
there should be no disputes about his settle
ment if he became a pauper! To these
specifications it is added that biennial sessions
would cut off great deal of useless talk and
useless expense.
The answer TO these things is not difficult.
1t is charged that the Legislature passes mauy
foolish laws. Who is to judge of that? To say
that some acts are not the wisest is only to
say that democratic government is fallible
and that the average sense of mankind as
foupd in tho T Ta0;oIofuro 10 rot abcoI,,t. uric
dom; but to say that great or considerable
portion of the laws made are unwise is proba-
bly, not true. The bulk of the public acts go
through the hands of the Judiciary committee
which every year is composed Of men far
above the average of intelligence of the State.
The probability is that they who have heard
all the facts and arguments are better judges
of the needs of the people than their critics.
If any public or private interests are put in
jeopardy by the session of the Legislature,
who knows but they ought to be put in jeo-
pardy. If they are in danger, it is because
other and opposite interests are pushing
through, and why should not the opposing
interests have hearing before the proper
tribunal? 1t might be urged also, that if a
Legislature which meets every year passes
foolish acts, a Legislature which meets every
other year will do the same thing with the
additional disadvantage that the foolishness
of the latter will last two years and that of
the former only one.
1t is charged that much of the time of the
Legislature is taken up by matters which are
I'm 10 oft tbor COO II
for discussion. This is true. And many
man has sat and listened to the Speaker read
off report after report, Legislation inexpe-
dent," ''Biii ongght not to pass" "Leave to
withdraw, and thought that if the people
could only see the wisdom of the legislature
as exhibited in its negative as well as in its
positive decisions, they would have a higher
respect for their representatives than they
have now. But however absurd request
may be made to the Legislature, the people
shall the Legislature know it to be absurd un-
til it has been heard? Are courts to be shut up
because men get non-suited? Every now and
then we make ourselves merry over some spec
ial fight in the Legislature like the fight over
the porgy. To US it is fun. But there are men
to whom the contest means bread and butter
and others to whom it means business and
fortune, and so year after year it is fought
over until the right basis is found and the
dispute is ended. The fact is that the Legis-
lature is not only the law making body, but
the Great and General Court. The powers
delegated to ordinary courts being general in
their nature do not always do justice in all
the unforeseen emergencies which arise, and
body possessing plenary authority is abso-
lutely needed to provide for such emergen-
cies. and to keep pace with exigencies as they
present themselves However events are so
various that laws need continual amendment
to meet them, and do even the limited justice
which gets done.
The question Of expense appears to be
hardly worth consideration. 1t is worth
much more than the sum expended to in
struct hundred and eighty men in the pub
| lie business, what it is and how to conduct it.
Every man who goes there comes back more
| of a man and IS of more use to himself and
his town. Town meetings and annual Legisla-
lures help make the New England man what
he is,the most capable Of any on the footstool
| of showing how conducive republican Gov
| ernment is to education, ,self-relance and solid
| progress.
Annual sessions only have thus far been
discussed. Annual elections are equally i'm.
| portant. In addition to the increasing op
portuniiy to punish bad men and to remove
incompetent men already spoken of, annual
elections are needful to keep the public mind
alive to public affairs. People know little
enough about them now. and would know
less If election day did not force them annu
ally upon their attention. 1t is desirable tC
have frequent discussion of principles, fol
men are convinced and educated not by
sound talk but by repetition of sound talk
Argument is not enough; we need iteration
And we need it both to keep us awake Il
old ideas and to secure the reception of new
ones.
The educational effect of frequent election:
is of the greatest importance to Republican
form of government and their advantages il
this respect will amply repay all the troubl
and expense which may attend them. Th
Legislature should hesitate and carefully de
lberate before recommending to the people
so radical change in our fundamental law
THIS is the Florida case: The form al oil
jections to the Hayes and Wheeler elector
are: That they we're not appointed by th
State of florida in such manner as as its les
islature had directed, or in any legal manne
whatever; that the Tilden and Hendrick
electors were appointed in such manner a
the legislature had directed; that the pre-
tended certificate of Gov. Stearns was and
untrue; that if said certificate of Gov. Stearn
ever had any validity, it has been anulled b
subsequent lawful certificate of the executiy
of Florida, declaring the Tilden and Hend
rcks electors duly chosen; and also by al
act of the legislature, in which the title o
said Tilden and Hendricks electors IS de
clared to be good and valid; also by the Jude
i ,,,o,,t 80 +Lo C;ro,;f Conrt of Florida. 'Ih