Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-02-21
Dailu lsrnnrher 3uurnal.
Remarks CT Mr.. Pickard Of Bangor.

ktna?hN CI Mr. GIckdFu VI bdHgOr.
lN Hon - az REPRESENTATIVES, on bill re-
la,ing to biennial elections and sessions of
the Legislature.
These Resolutions provide for an amend
ment of the constitution, SO that the sessions
of the Legislature shall be held but once in
two wears they also provide for biennial
elections to be held on the first Tuesday next
after the first Monday in November. being
the time when the Presidential elections are
held.
Thi> subject has repeatedly been brought
10 the attention nt the Legislature by the Chief
Executive of the State, but for causes not
necessary to consider at this time, they have
not heretofore received Legislative approval
not receiving the sanction of two-thirtls
vote of both houses, but | have been led to
believe that men Of all parties at this session
will he willing to make this change in the or
ganic law of the State.
When we consider the magnitude of our
state dcbt--ncarv 50. .00O.o0o) five millions
OF dollars and the penal rotormatory and
charitable institutions of the Stgte. calling
for very large annual appropriations, many Of
which We cannot well reduce. when We con
slider the further fact that our rich patrimony
in public land, has all been squandcrcd. -
has all melted awav.--and when we eontem-
tl.lc the fact that we have come down to the
hard pan of taxation of the people to pay the
running annual expenses of the State, togcth-
~ with the heavy annual interest upon the
public debt, and when we consider the hard
timcs-thc heavy burdens under which our
people are suftring-I think We should all be
ready to adopt any and every measure which
would relieve the public treasury from the
heavy drain which must incy ltably come upon
il for some wears to come.
In casting about to where We could re-
ducc expenditures with safety, and economisc
with the least dctrmcnt to the public service,
have Il. come fully impressed with the con-
viction that We can make large saving by
adopting biennial sessions. with no injury
whatcy cr 10 the State or any of its great in
tcrr.t>.
The public institutions of the State will
need especial examination hy the legislature.
of course none OF Us intend or desire to dc
-iroy or cripple the ciiicicncy of any of the
necessary institutions. but apprchend that
every member of thi. House has come here
with very decided opinions upon the questions
of economy. and will vote no appropriations
ofmoney for any object unless it be an abso-
lutte ncccs>ity
do not believe that annual sessions and
elections are a necessity which cannot he dis
rtneti WIN. ii tttN nave nctn III our early
history. they are not nov. The constitution
now provide, that ''lIc. the Governor may.
on extraordinary occasions. convene the Leg
stature See. l3, part |. Art. >. In case
of an emergency il will be seen. that the Gov
ernor has full power to convene the Legisla
turc at any time. on any extraordinary occa-
sl0n SO there can he no necessity for annual
sessions.
\ very small proportion Of the States of the
'nion at this day hold annual sessions of
their Legislatures. II yoo have NOT given at
ten,ion to thi, subject you will he astoni,hcd
to learn that three-fOurths of the State, now
hold biennial sessions. | find upon examina-
ton of the Constitutions of the different
States that the following - States now hold
biennial session of their legis laturc viz ::
Alabama. Arkansas. California. Colorado.
Delaware. Georgia. Illinois. Indiana, Iowa.
Kansas Kentucky Mary land, Michigan. Min
nesota. Mississippi. Missouri, Nebraska.
Nevada, New Hampshire, North Caro-
lima, ohio. Oregon. Pennsylvania, Tennessee.
Texas, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia.
and that only 10 States now hold annual
sessions. viz. Connecticut Florida. Louisi-
ana, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey New
York. Rhode Island. South Carolina and
Wisconsin. 1t will be seen that about three
fourtls of all the States of the Union hold
session of their Legislatures but once in two
wears and but about one fourth hold sessions
every wear and of those ten States that hold
annual sessions, but three Of them. Maine
Massachusetts, and Rhode Island) elect their
Governors annually. The Governors of all
the other thirty-tve States hold a term of
Office from two to four wears. The States
whose Governors hold two years are sixteen.
being Alabama Arkansas. Connecticut. Col
orado. Iowa. Kansas. Michigan, Minnesota
Nebraska, New Hampshire. Ohio. South Car
oina, Tennessee, Texas and Vermont. The
States whose Governors hold during term
of three wears are three in number. being
New jersey. New York and PENNSYLVANIA
Those Governors who hold a term of wears
are u in number. being in the States of Cal
itornia. Delaware, Florida. Georgia Illinois
Indiana. Kentucky. Louisiana. MARYLAND.
Mississippi. Missouri. Nevada. North Caro-
lima. Oregon. Virginia and West Virginia.
find also that % of the 3S States now hold
their State elections on TIE first Tuesday af-
ter the first Monday in November. which is
the time of holding the Presidential election.
and being the time which the resolutions un-
der consideration fix for biennial elections in
our State should these resolutions he approx
ed bv two-thirds Of both branches OF the Leg
stature, and be ratified by II naiolit! of the
voters.
In view of the fact that So many of the
states hold the session of their Legislature
but once in two wears. States too, much lar
ger in population and territory than our own.
cannot conceive why we shoald keep up the
useless. unnecessary and expensive custom Of
annual sessions and elections. when three
tourths of our sister state, have aban-
doncd the custom rs uncailod for and
detrimental to the best Interests OF their
states and people. do not believe that any
interest Of our State would suffer, either az
ricullural commercial. mercantile or manu-
featuring. il We should not hold session for
three years. In giving hasty glance at the
acts and resolves passed last year, find them
nearly all unimportant At least three quar-
tcrs of them were acts ''to amend ''add-
tional to-" 40 repeal" explanatory Of"
defining or simplifying former acts" Most
of the other quarter were about birds of all
kinds and game" dogs, eels, deer. moose,
trout. bass, perch, smelts, tramps, pickercl,
partrdges, sturgeon and porgies almost
every creature upon the earth, and under the
earth were legislated upon l think we leg
islate too much, and it comes from the fact
that we hold session too often. Men are
sent here and are expected to do something,
and they hatch uD all kinds of THINGS that he j.