The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-03-26
A LE&IsLATIVE OFF YEAR.

This has been denominated an off
year for state legislatures. No one
certainly will deny this. Going no
further for evidence of the truth of
this than our own legislative halls, it
may be found that intellectual consti-
patton is building ZIP a record for the
Nineteenth Legislature never before
equaled III Texas. The other day we
were comparing the early and latest
Roman Senates-kow mind and expe-
rience had built up one and made the
most wonderful legislative body of
the world, and how the other had
degenerated into utter insignifcance
as such and fastened the destruction
of the greatest of empires. The early
Texas legislatures, had some intel
Iectual gaints in them, and once in d
while, in later days, intelligence has
shone out with granduer, but displays
of intellect, it seems, are ended, and
mental constipation, political 10
comotor ataxia follows. But the ques
ton of inferiority among legislators
becomes alarming when considered in
its fullest relation as applied in a
general sense. The legislatures of all
the states have decreased in ability
until the very name of legislation is
becoming a by-word Of scorn. The
Legislatures of Oregon and New
Hampshire, both charged with the
important duty of electing United
States Senator, after wrangling and
disagreeing for an entire session, each
have rdjourned without fulfilling this
utdy 70 doing anything else. The
Legislature of Illinois has been in
session tor two or three months, and
has not yet chosen United States
Senator, and will, beyond
much doubt, adjourn without
doing so. The Ohio Legislature
has done nothing but show the length
of it's ears. 1t went to WorK to Grip
pie railways and then absolutely asked
them to convey them in body free tt
the presidential Inauguration. Thu
Legislature of Pennsylvania has
shown its utter weakness in relation
to public questions, and that of New
jersey has become the laughing stool
of ali observing people. The Califor
mia Legislature has been used by Sha
ron, at an expense probably of few
Thousand dollars,t to hedge him in from
, paying judgment of millions
1t would consume too much space t.
look through the different states an,
, tell what legislatures have failed t
: do that which would have been wis
and what they have done that
foolish. Truly it is the 1egislativ
, off-year, and we hope to see no NOR
: like it. When the Nineteenth Legis
I lature adiourns we want to see th
:, people take on a resolve, tina
they will no longer submit t
disgrace simply to crafty ig
norance and inexperience. We woul
a hereafter see sober men of age an
/ thought selected to compose the IWeI
Q tieth Legislature; and then we woul
!. see that body propose to the people Q
, Texas a constitutional amendment
! increasing the limitations of age bot
as to senators and representatives an,
g giving to them stated salary pc
/ year, sufficient to put men of expert
Y ence and sound sense and judgmen
r men worth something to themselve
y in the Legislature. The people woul
f readily adopt such an amendment, aa
unless their interests be thus hedge
f about with cooler heads and MOI
r enlarged experience, with tempeFa
ments that lead to reflection instea
of to the excuses of dram shops, "
+ may bewail, when too late, the poll
ical fate of our beloved State.