Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-12-29
The Legislature.

last Friday forenoon. II is doubtless early
to write an appreciative obituary Of sub
ject so lately deceased. After "the silver
cord be loosed or the golden bowl be broken,
a long time must frequently elapse before a
mans life can be justly estimated. "The
evil that men do" Mr.. Antony once tritely
remarked of Mr.. Cesar, olives after them,
the good is oft inferred with their bones"
In this unfortunate predicament, in the
minds of some cynical individuals, the leg
islature of 1880 finds itself. It is disagree
able and annoying to obituary subjects as
well as to their panegyrists to be placed in
such position. It imposes a severe strain
on the dignity Of the one and the veracity
of the other. We have more than a suspi-
cion that the versatile Mark Antony rather
enjoyed the fact that his friend had been
thoroughly wounded in every respect" 1t
gave him brilliant opportunity to display
his genius and he was not slow 10 improve
it to the utmost. This legislature, after a
brief session, took recess and returned
to complete properly its work. All together
it has spent in the consideration of impor-
tant public business twelve days more time
than its immediate predecessor. There
seem to be many pseudo Antonies who see
in this fact gilded opportunity to display
that cheap wit and carping wisdom for
which quidnunces are famous. Had the
foresight of the members of this general
| half hill a ths. In, lin
GUS hindsight of many of their Aippant crit
les, session of few days would have suf-
feed to produce that which, after weeks of
discussion and the elaboration of details,
has at length crystalized in certain changes
in the laws OF the state. These changes
were imperatively demanded by the people
They demanded not merely change, but i'm
provement and approximate perfection. To
make changes in long-established laws and
customs, and perfect the details, requires
time for investigation, discussion, har
monizing of differences Of opinion, and
the perfection and calculation of detail.
Such measure was the act for equalizing
taxation. 1t was a measure vitality affecting
the interest of every citizen in the state. 1t
was radical innovation on the old order Of
| things. There was much honest difference
of opinion on this subject even among candid
men, and self-interest created still wider and
more stubborn and more unreasoning differ.
ences. The people would never have for
given this legislature for any crude or hasty
legislation on this subject, and they GER
tainly would have sharply censured it for
neglect to attempt reform of the old sys-
tenn because that would require time. The
revision of the laws was another measure
which required slow and laborious as well
as most cautious and critical attention. The
labor bestowed on this subject makes small
show in the legislative reports, but il was
not exceeded in amount or in practical i'm
portance by any measure which came before
the legislature. The legislation aimed at
the reduction of court expenses is of para
mount value and Importance The aboli-
ton of the office of court auditors and re-
quiring the state auditor to discharge their
duties will save to the state over 81, 500 an
nually in the way of official expenses merely.
The savings by correcting abuses and stop
ping leakages promise to be a fruitful
source of income to the state. The cutting
off of double and constructive charges in
criminal prosecutions, requiring magistrates
to keep accounts and report semi.annually to
the treasurer with all the funds in their
hands, will save many thousand dollars hith-
erto lost to the state.
Here are three general measures which
alone might well have occupied much of
the time of this long session. If time shall
prove that this work has been well and
wisely done, it will be an ample mantle to
cover any alleged shortcomings with which
this legislature may be charged. There has
been demand for general breakup in
the old order of things. In replacing the
old with a new order the gates have neces-
sarily been opened wide for the introduc-
ton of new schemes, and their progenitors
have naturally been stiff willed in maintain
ing the merits of their measures. That this
state of things should result in deluge of
buncombe, was inevitable. A few men have
developed capacity for unlimited talk,
which has retarded the passage of business.
The frequent "order to lie" and the ten
dency to recall and reconsider measures
which had once been decided born, perhaps,
of laudable desire to proceed with due de-
liberation, has often times seemed like tri-
fling with the people. Still, these lapses are
inseparable from large popular Legislative
assemblies. The performance by the legis-
ature of the duties of the old council of
censors would perhaps alone justly the extra
length Of the session. The proposed con-
stitutional amendments, with the excep-
tionally large amount of business of minor
Importance, and the great general measures
which have engrossed attention and, wisely
or unwisely, have been enacted into laws OF
refused legislative sanction, measurably JUS
tify the length of the session, and we trust
time will complete the justification by dem
onstrating the wisdom of the acts, whether
of omission or commission, of this genera
. |