The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-09-06
[For the V1Ra1NIAN.l
Too FREQUENT Elections.

| leading editorial IN late issue OF the
VIRGINIAN commenting on the proceed
! ings of the Democratic alias Conservative
alias Bourbon Convention, recently held at
Lynchburg, and it's bold and clearly de-
fined platform repudiating all former
positions and measures which the leaders
of that party have up to the present time
taken and advocated. But what particu-
| larry interested me and received my entire
endorsement is the brief sentence which
reads as follows Foremost among these
is change of the constitution by which
the election of all officers, State, munich
pal, county and Federal, shall be held at
the same time. AS it is. now. we have at
least two elections every year instead Of
one election every two years, as it should
be-" 1t is seldom we find so much truth
and sound logic in space of six lines. 1t
reminds me of the motto of six words that
ggraced the head Of The Congressional Globe
for many years, ''The World is governed
too much.n Exceedingly brief in words,
but immense in legitimate suggestions for
a thorough reformation in our system Of
Federal and State governments. Truly
and most emphatically can it be said that
this Republic and its States and Terri
tories are governed too much by too
frequent elections, and to rectify the evil
requires thorough revision of the Fed
eral and State constitutions. ''Let us have
peacen is a noble sentiment, and give MS
a rest' is equally as good. -
Great improvements in holding elections
have taken place within the past fifty
years and still the good work goes on. A
half century ago nearly every State held
its semi annually elections a spring cleo
ton for county and town officers, and later
in the season another for State and Fed
eral officers. Less than fifty years ago,
in the State of New York, it took three
days to complete its State election, from
sunrise Monday till sunset Wednesday.
Fifty years ago the American people
thought that an annual election of a gov
ernor and State officers was the only safe
way to maintain arepublican government !;
now, some of the States elect q governor
4
for term of four years, while some have
adopted terms Of three and two years, and
biennial sessions Of legislatures. Truly
the world moves. The American people
are gradually becoming convinced that this
Republic is governed too much - too
many elections, too much form and too
much ''red tape" for its prosperity and
stability.
The natural consequence of too frequent
,elections is frequent contentious, wrang-
ling, angry debates, villifications of public
and private characters, duels and many
other evils, which have a tendency to de-
stroy all respect for mankind and country.
<'Give us rest'' should be the prayer OF
every peaceableE and patriotic citizen.
Give us.at least three years out Of four to
attend exclusively to the agricultural, me-
chanical, and commercial interests of the
nation.
The founders of this Government and
trainers of the Federal. Constitution,
thought it right and proper to create two
legislative bodies, Senate and House OF
Representatives Jefferson favored but
one legislative body, a grand House OF
Representatives, - with limited number
of members composed of the best brain
material in the Union. [ am inclined to
think that Jefferson's head was level on
that point. But admitting the propriety
of creating a Senate, the founders OF the
government did very wise act in making
the term of Senator for six years, and
very foolish act in limiting the term OF
member Of the House to t,ro years. IL
should not have been less than four years
and six would have been better. The most
confirmed lunatic i'll your insane instltu-
tion could readily be instructed to see the
great inconsistency in making so wide
difference in the terms OF service! If SIX
years is short enough for d senator, COM
mon sense would dictate that 1t IS also
brief enough for member OF the House,
in order to become useful to the govern
ment and to his constituents. AS long as
this silly and proscriptive clause is a part
of the Federal Constitution, that very
dangerous element Of frequent elections
will exist
Congressional districts are very unre-
liable. Probably not two out Of ten elected
in 1880, for the first time, were reelected
in 1882 4; consequently one-fourth, if not
not one-third, of the members elected to
the forty-seventh Congress were mere
ciphers-of no benefit for the want OF eX-
perience. A member of the House is sup
posed to be ambitious and anxious for q
reelection the brief period Of two years
compels him to devote more than two
thirds of his term to electiOneering III
order to gain his object but with the
knowledge that he has six years to serve,
fou, years ut least would be devoted ex-
clujively to legitimate business. Too fEe-
quent elections h the great curse Of this
country, and two Of the greatest evils on
the list is the election Of a president for
only four years, and member to the
House of Representatives FOR only two.
When this question is properly discussed
and the American people instructed to
realize the danger of frequent elections
a radical change in the Constitution &c
remedy the evil will be demanded ano
promptIv secured d, 7.
WHAT AN OCCASIONAL DRINK CosTs