Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1886-05-06
From GrecnVine.

Editors Banner.
GREENvINE, April 29.-Elcctlons
too frequent. 1t is obvious TO al
who have the capacity TO trace
causes to effect and effect to causes
that our state, county and congress
Sional elections are too frequent
Under our present system, every
election box in the state, where
polls of election is opened, costs
the tax payers over ten dollars
each. 1t is 4, tax on the sum total
that must be paid. One general
election every four years is all that
is necessary to carry on the gov
crnment of both state and county
and to insure us representation in
the federal congress. AT present
we have general election once
every two years, TO say nothing OF
other local elections. A desirable
change In the modus opcrandi
might, wc'think, be effected, by ex-
tending the tenure of Office OF state
and county officers, also of repre-
scntativcs to our state Legislature.
and congress from two to four
years. Not only are elections a
burden on the tax payers, but dur
ing the canvass, much time and
money is spent by candidates and
others that might be saved; much
is said and much is written of q
very Inhamatory character the
liberty of tho press and the liberty
of speech are most shamefully
perverted sometimes into abuse
and Islander. To bring the desired
change another amendment to the
state constitution must be added.
Fortunately for us, however, Meth
or our constitution or state laws
are like the laws of the Medes and
Pcrsians, which change not, but
may be altered whenever 4 majori-
ty of the people desire it. And it
certainly would be the true policy
of tho next Legislature to pass an
act at It's first session, 10 submit an
to our constitution to |
the voters of tho next general |
election in 1883, Tor their ratifica-
ton or rejection, making the ten
ure of members of the United |
States congress, being the only
United States officials that the peo-
pie vote directly for, members to
tho state legislature, and all the
state and county officers, elect and
eligible 10 office, continue for a
period of four years from the date
ot their election, if the proposed
be ratified by tho cleo
.ors at the election in 1888. All
officers elected at said election
night hold their offices legally for
our years, in place of two, as at
present.
All reasonable minds will admit
hat the tenure of Office is too short;
many of our state and county Off
:es are so intricate and so complI-
ated that the incumbent, however
apabIe, honest and energetic he
nay be, his term of Office expires
'cforo he fully understands the
business and duties of the office.
t thence happens that many good
nd worthy incumbents are,
trough some political organiza-
ion or conventional click, ousted,
nd a new and less capable and less
onest incumbent is elected in his (
lace. In a Republican govern
lcnt like that ofthe United States,
loctions are indispensable, but s
heir avenues should be guarded
nth the severcst caution, for it is
well known fact that it is not ]
lways the case that the best men t
re elected to offices of consider
bic trust and Importance, as was
WINGED in the case of the election
+ county treasurer in and for the t
ounty of Washington in 1882. t
1t may be said by those who ad-
ere to the short tenure of Office n
ystcm, that two years is long :
nough to keep an incompetent or :
ishonest incumbent in Office. =
hat is very true, not only so, but
nc year or one month is long l.
nough to retain such incumbents
flee; but to such we would say
nat our constitution and state !
lws, make ample provision for 6
10 removal of obnoxious and in
officers.
In conclusion l would suggest to "
for representative to !,
nc next state Legislature the pro- I
riety of making the tenure Of Of
&C an issue, during the canvass !
lortly 10 open, and to terminate !
n the second day OF November
ext.
The hint has been thrown out
the comment. Il. \
For SALE.-I offer for sale for {
ash my homestead, situated on =
-arkct street; four rooms, hall and "
QUO ,onr, . COMMONWEALTH S;+uo+oJ