Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-01-25
Biennial Sessions.
OBJECTIONS TO THEN WELL STATED.

Hon. C W. Goddard writes to the Port
land Press as follows:
DO not always agree with MIR. Biaine's
views, indeed not so often as with yours; but
think that he has done public service 10
warning bis fellow ex-legislators against the
peris of biennial elections and sessions
cannot quite subscribe to your doctrine
that politicians favor annual elections; so
far as have observed they are, as class, in
favor OF biennial elections, partly because
they perceive that the popular current of late
years has been setting in that direction. and
partly because they prefer to be called to &C.
count as seldom as possible.
ANYTHING that increases the distance be-
tween the public servant and his masters 10
acceptable to the politicians, and anything
that seems to suit the popular notion of the
hour will receive the support of the dema-
gogue. And wheh you find public man OPP
posing a movement which he knows to be
popular and which is likewise in the
interest of his class. you may he sure that he
is sincere and it is we'll to listen respectful
" to what he has to say.
The biennial idea il popular because the
arguments IN its favor are plausible and
self-evident, while the objections lie deeper
and are therefore not so conspicuous to the
ordinary mind. The main arguments for
the abolition ofhalf Of our / gislstive sessions
are the saving of time and thought and ex-
citement to the voter and the saving of ex-
pense to the taxpayer. I do not remember
anv other reasons of any weight or
force. OF course, if their is but half
the voting and canvassing and discussion
and reading and interest, there will De but
halt the time and thought and excitement. and
biennial sessions Of the same length, etc.,
will cost only half as much az annual.
Some of the arguments in favor of annual
elections are those stated or implied by Mr.
Blaine: that frequent State elections were
worth all that they cost, that the time and
attention and thought given annually to our
State and national politics was well expen ded
and the excitement of political discussion WAS
legitimate and healthy; that the annual as
.embling of the peopps senator. and repre-
sentatives was desirable and beneficial not
only to the Legislators but to their constitu-
ents that their tendency was nimical to jobs
and unpatrotic schemes. and that thereby
legislators became more familiar with their
duties, and their constituents were afforded
better opp prtunities for looking after their
servants.
These arguments. although confessedly
not so obvious and plausible as those urged
on the other side, will. it il believed, com
mend themselves to candid reason and IN the
cad to the sober second thought of the PEG
Pile Of Maine, when sufficient time has been
given to test the new system now so general
y adopted
The fact is that everything worth having
costs something in time. money or effort, and
those who are unwillng TO pav the price can
not long expect to enjoy the possession A
republican form of Government like the jury
system and other free institutions, costs Il
great deal of time, m pney and labor. A
monarchy is much simpler and more expe
ditious. and despotism simpler yet and far
prompter; single Judge can despatch busi-
ness more rapidly than a jury aud there will
be no disagrecments. either. In Russia 90
time, money or labor is wasted on elections,
and in Prussia and Spain very little. and
criminal trials are prompt and decisive; the
laws delay" is not source of complaint 10
those countries as it is in England and the
United States.
These may be arguments in favor of des-
potlsm or a monarchy. and they are, so far a.
they GO; but it is, as Mr.. Blaine says, bad
sign when professed republicans resort to
them.
SO LONG a. the revolutionary fathers lived,
nobody presumed to breach the idea Of BIZ
ennisl elections or sessions. The founders
of all our State constitutions carefully pro-
vided tor annual elections, and it WAS not
until q generation arose two removes from
those patriots, that the new doctrine was first
put forward. Such expedients mark the de-
cline Of public spirit and invite still further
iuroads upon the framework of our govern
ment, while they encourage ambitious, un-
scrupuous and vensl politicians by weaken
ing restraint and diminishing responsibility