Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1886-01-23
A Tennessee Legislature Its Improve
H.an ment. iN

Nashville Union. T fa @Y
The harmonizing of the Democratic
party in Tennessee is the first thing
to be done, and this depends on the
leading men in the party to a great
extent, for the great bulk of the party
have nothing to contend with each
other about, and are really not inhar-
monious. But there is another mat
ter of vital importance to the party
and to the state which the masses of
the party must act upon if good re-
suits. The Democracy of the state
must improve the character of the
legislature. The press frequently has
to perform thankless duty, but it is
often, as in this case, duty which
must be performed even at the sacri-
fee of some friends. No one knows
better the incompetency and ineffi-
iency of large number of the men,
bers of the legislature than the COM
petent and efficient men in the body.
Werefer to no particular legislature,
but to the class of men which some
of the counties are in the habit of
sending to the legislature-men with
out either general or special informa-
ton.
For this the people are to blame,
not SO much the ignorant member,
for really he is often elected and
serves out his term without ever
finding out that he is not competent
to fill the office. ~ Itl H.l II
What proud day it would be for
Tennessee if each county--the good
people-would informally agree that
a first-class man should be sent to the
legislature, and let the men who are
known to be incompetent be given
to understand that they are not need
ed! What is needed in the legisla-
ture is men of good, strong sense
trained to think, trained to think
about their own business or some
thing else; men who have had some
experience in business life; who have
been in contact with men, ard who
have gathered information, and who
know what life is and what life's
duties are, and who honestly and
truly have the good of the state at
heart.
1t is a lamentable fact, from which
the state is suffering greatly, that in
so many of the counties the men
capable of making laws refuse to serve
the people, or at least, modestly say
no. Now, what we wish to impress
on the citizen is that every man owes
something to the public, and if there
is a man in the county well suited to
represent the people, they have
claims on him and ought to demand
his time, at least for one session, and
there is scarcely county in the state
that has not in it strong minded,
valuable citizens who, if in the legis-
lature, would deal with legislation
{ as something practical. The de-
l mands Of the people in Tennessee re-
quire business talent in the legisla-
ture rather than pOlitics-men suited
to consider the wants of the people
rather than the interests of political
|, leaders; in short, it would be great
s relief to find legislature made up in
g the main of men of strong nature and
: practical sense instead of political
: ambition. Legislation is business,
r and there ought to be but little poll
tics in the work of single session.
n The people of each county are re.
S sponsible for the member they send
j. and he in a great measure reflects
a back the character of the people he
q represents. At least it is so under
= stood.
Somebody has figured that wo