Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-01-20
From the Portland Press.
The Question of Biennial Sessions

The speech of Mr. Pickard of Bangor in
the House Monday in advocacy of biennial
elections and biennial sessions of the legisla-
ture. is provoking considerable comment, and
receives the approval of many Of our State
exchanges The question was thoroughly
discussed two years ago, and there seems to
be no good reason for reversing the decision
then arrived at. The speech of Mr.. Pickard
certainly advances no new arguments of
weight. Two years ago the question was
fully and extensively treated in an editorial
article in these columns, reproduced below.
The positions then taken up we see no rea-
son to forsake. No arguments for the con-
templated change, either by Mr.. Pickard OF
by others. have been brought forward that
affect the conclusions then arrived at. In
deed the reasons set forth at that time have
gained rather than lost weight since.
The following is the article which appeared
in the Press February 6, 1877, under the
caption
BIENNIAL SESSIONS.
On questions relating to government hui
man opinion is always in state Of slow but
continual fuctuation. No principle has been
so long assentcd to as to he beyond the reach
of change. No length of time. no extent of
acquicscence, either by a nation or by the
whole race. can give us assurance that any
particular idea even when ii has been carried
into successful practice may not be peremp-
torlv called upon to give reasons for con-
tinucd existence other than the long consent
Of mankind. Sometimes these challenges to
established opinion are the results of advanc-
ing knowledge and are signs of increasing
wisdom. Sometimes they are only indica-
tons of confused awakening from what some
one calls ''the slumber of decided opinion"
by which is meant this state of things After
a contest, long or short, over probable
opinion, there comes time when one side or
the other sensiblv predominates. Then per-
haps a decided majority adopts the opinion.
carries it out in institutions; opposition.
which has become hopeless. stops, and the
prevalent opinion. having ceased to be dis
cussed becomes with the succeeding genera
tons. an article of faith and not matter of
reason. The succeeding generations are of
the same belief as their ancestors, but have
forgotten why After a time plausible rea-
sons against the existing order of things are
presented and have undue weight until full
discussion brings to mind the reasons which
prevailed long ago. Among these confused
awakenings from the "slumber of decided
opinion" is the constitutional amendment for
biennial sessions and elections now proposed
TO the legislature As the result of the
most thorough and exhaustive discussion of
democratic principles in 1887. the time when
the Federalist was written, all the States but
three went yearly to the polls. Connecticut
and Rhode Island went half yearly, and
South Carolina alone every two years. For
more than half century the State of Maine
has had annual elections. Ifanything seemed
established by unquestioning acquiescence it
was yearly sessions of the legislature. And
vet il is now proposed without discussion for
the legislature to take measures for chang
ing the fundamental law of the State so that
both State elections and sessions of the leg
isatme shall take place only once in two
years.
In this revival of the South Carolina idea
none of the old arguments in favor of pro-
longing the power of the representatives can
be urged for the new plan. and all the old
objections so successfully presented century
ago are still valid. century ago the argu-
ment for the Sonth Carolina idea was that
it was but just to the representative himself
that he should have a long enough lease of
power to show the people what he was that
he should stay long enough to be judged. not
by a single act which might be an accident
but by series Of acts which might show fit
ness or unfitness of character.
The people too, it was said. would gain by
it. They could more intelligentlv re-elect
their representatives, for they would have
given them fairer trial. Another strong ar
gument was that the tenure of office ought to
be long enough to ensure experience, to ena-
BILE the representatives to acquire full knowl-
edge of their business and how to do it,
Such tenure too. would give more freedom or
action to intelligent men and render them less
liable to be swerved from just opinions by the
whims of their constituents. All these argu-
ments the present proposition abandons. A
legislator elected for two years. but who ex-
ercises his functions on onlv one of the wears
| is obviously no better off in acquisition of
experience. in knowledge of his business or
in the display of his qualities than if he were
elected for that year alone. He gets no more
experience, knowledge. or appreciation on
the part Of the people and the people on their
side have no more chance to see whether he
is good man to take into permanent service
or.a bad man TO be hereafter rejected. And
there is this disadvantage that with the desire
which exists for office, the legislator of every
other year will have less than half the chance
of ever getting back to give the public the
benefit Of the experience he has acquired
While the old arguments in favor of bien-
NAL elections are thus seen not to be applica-
BILE TO biennial sessions il is still the fact that
the old objections hold against both. One
thing to be guarded against in every form of
government is bribery of the representative
While il may not be true that every man has
his price yet it is true that some men have.
SO far as they are concerned the only question
is. can anybody afford to pay the price? If a
legislature can pass law which will last two
years it is obviously worth more to interested
parties than one for the continuance of which
they have got to fight next year. So on a BIZ
ennial basis they can pay more for vote or
for influence" and If the bribed legislators
constituents suspect him they must endure
him for two years at least, and while he NAV
not sit at another regular session, vet if any
exigencv arises on the off wear the bribed
and unworthy member will still represent an
unwilling constituency. In few words the
two year rale renders the member more liable
! 10 be bribed and less liable to be
punished for II. The constituent is, by
one half deprived Of the power to put out
bad and incompetent men both as a preventa-
tive against future betrayals and as punish
u