The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-01-17
The Question of Biennial Sessions.

The speech of Mr.. Pckard 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 exhaustively 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 or
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 wutUh Appeared
in the PRESS February 6, 1877, under the
caption
BIENNIAL SESSIONS.
On questions relating to government hu-
man opinion is always in state OF slow but
so long assented to as to be beyond the reach
of change. No length of time, no extent of
acquiescence, either by nation or by the
whole race, can give US assurance that any
particular idea even when it has been carried
into successful practice may not be peremp-
torily called upon to give reasons for con-
tinued 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-
tlons of confused awakening from what some
one calls "the slun.ber of decided opinion"
by which is meant this state of things: After
contest, long or short, over probable
opinion there comes time when one side or
the other sensibly predominates. Then per-
haps 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
tions an article of faith and not matter of
reason. The succeeding generations are of
Tue Sdluc Dtlol DIS GutiI duCcSbUIS, Uub nave
forgotten why. After 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
oplnion'' is the constitutional amendment for
biennial sessions and elections now proposed
to the Legislature. As the result of the
most thorough ard exhaustive discussion of
democratic principles in 1888, the time when
the Federast 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 tue State of Maine
has had annual elections. If anything seemed
established by unquestioning acquiescence it
was yearly sessions of the Legislature Aud
yet it 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
islature shall take place only once in two
years.
II LII ILLS lCNltdl vi 0UubU OdTUllud lu6d,
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 a century
ago are still valid. A century ago the argu-
ment for the South 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 single act which might be an accident,
but by series of acts which might show
| fitness or unftness of character. The people
too, it was said, would gain by it. They
could more intelligently re.elect their repre-
| sentatives, for they would have given them
| fuller and fairer trial. Another strong ar
| gument was that the tenure of Office ought to
be long enough to ensure experience, to en-
able the representatives to acquire full
| knowledge of their business and how to do
| it. Such tenure too, would give more free
dom OF action to intelligent men and render
| them less liable to be sWerved from Just
opinions by the whims of their constituents.
All these arguments the present proposition
abandons. A legislator elected for two
years, but who exercises his functions on
only one of the years, is obviously no better
of in acquisition of experience, in knowledge
of his business or in the display of his quail
ties than if he were elected for that year
alone. He gets no more experience, knowl-
edge, or appreciation on the part OF the peo-
pie, and the people on their side have no