The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-03-13
LEGISLATIVE necessities.

tsblishod, defined and developed all Its indus.
dastries and resources, the Necessities for
legislation never cease. Il il but reasonable
and natural thai young and growing state
should require more than an older one, 10
meet the more frequent changes that occur
10 all Of It's affairs, and TO adapt those affairs
70 the eIigencies of the times. Reasoning
from these bases, and considering tho rapidly
developing processes now at work in Texas,
to build it up and bring forth all lis lateSt
forces, does II not appe0r patent
T. the inquirng philosophical mind
that We hava a constitution
lamontsbly deficient especially in those par.
ticulars pertaining TO and governing logs'a-
sion For instance section five of article
three provides that ''the legislature shall
meet Every twn yetis, Vt such time as may
DO provided by law, Erd at other times when
convened By the governor" Does Il require
any argumentto show that the legislature
OF Texas ought to meet annually, at loast for
annmbarof y0ira 10 come? Why, the state
Is but in is ewaddling clothes, std thous-
and ioices We msy say, arc operating upon II
to make II grow and become strong and
great With 27i,356 square miles, snd pop
ulation OF o1ly little more than million
and hAlf tho settlement and development
OF tho sti's,cin scarcsly be said to have be
gun. With this area Of territory we have
room for 65,000,00O of people, should
we become populatei in tho sama
proportion 10 area as Great Britain. Ia
tan yoars wa have doubled in population.
and at tho present rate Of railroad improve
menl snl imnigrai,n efforts on the part OF
private iniiviluals md corporations, we
will d0ibl, again In another ton years. Ia ii
not self-evi lent, then, that rs wa improve in
all material ways, add TO the number Of
th states inhabitants, md new
sections OF tho state are opened up TO agri
culture, new town, and young cites apTing
into existence and manufactures Of all kinds
are established and the mineral wealth
sleeping ia tina bosom of the soil is brought
4 y
late, requiring legislative ssCe-gnards aud
protecl5aG A the state mutt plies aud
axesstropg IN ali IFS material properties,
its isgislssive wants must necessarily
increalo Ii Is not, than, ins
justlce 10 the Btate, 10 Iva
wolfaro TO require these wants 10 20 unat-
tended to and un,ooklj-sCter for two years
at timer Wa IN know how popuous
Grant Britain il, Ia whe. parCsct harmony nj
the parts OF is political, indus.rill, cJmmer-
clsl and soclal machinery are adjusted snl
work, yet tae legislative department. Of that
government Ia vlrtuslly at work all tho timl
Not only every year bu! almost every mouth
legislation Of some kind 10 being done II
this Is necessary for the veal of that old and
full-grown nation, Ia |. not thousand fold
moro necessary tina. our young aad expand
ING commonwealth should have at leas! the
opportunity for more frequent legislation
than once every two yearsf These are per-
tinont questions, that must address them
selves ~ the understanding and the
consideration Of every intplliso ont
Citizen, as we'll as 10 every intelligent and
thinking legislator. Again section twenty
four of article three says: "rhe members Of
tho legislature should receive from tho pub
lie tresalry such compensation for their
services as may from inns 60 time be pro-
vided By law, not exceeding five dollars por
day for the first sixty days Of each session.
and after that not exceeding two dolsp per
day fer the remainder of he session, etc"
Nov We ask, 10 al candor, " there Is man
within Nil the broad limits of tdis state, with
ordinary common sense who will think u
minute, who will not say that this cons.ilu.
honal provision Is absurd, supremely puchle!
Why, there u not ono gallowscd, tow.
headed ssnd-hiller in all chris,ondom who
cannot 500 tho utter folly and Injustice
OF this constitutional restriction upcn
its very faee. II Ia An insult 10 the integrity
OF every clifton Of tho state, for every citizen
Of the state Ii eligible to n seat Ia tho legis.
lasufe. II virtually says that the men who
arc elected by tho people TO look after their
legislative interests and 10 enac. laws for
thom, are capable of idling away their time
and squandering tho public money. 1t SAYS
they will do II unless Inhibited by law
and II wss put In the constitution 10 proven,
them doirg Il. While five dollars day 4
good wnges ordinarily, for meat men, IL 10 no,