Sharp County record., 1888-01-19
A NEW
A NEW,
The question


should not be dependent 0N any
action Of the general assembly itself
as it now is.
1t has been asserted, and ITO our
view with a great degree Of truth
and reason, that we have too much
legislation. a great volume
of statutes, most Of them
useless, many of them danger
Gus or penicious, is enacted at every
session of the Legislature. The laws
of our state are rendered uncertain
and obscure, so that the very end
aimed at by legislation is in many
instances frustrated. Now we hold
that but few new statutes need be
passed at each session of the legis-
lature; that only such laws as the
people imperatively demand should
be enacted, and we think this would
be the rule if the biennial legislative
sessions were absolutely limited to
sixty or seventy days by the constr
tuition. The experience Of the last
decade proves, if it proves anything,
that the individual member with an
idea or hobby, (and he is numer-
ous in both branches at every SeS-
sion,) must first infict that body If
not the state with his hobby at the
expense of measures Of actual pub
lie necessity. In other words,
matters OF local or special concern
are champoncd by their authors and
promoters while matters Of general
Importance are thereby deferred
from day to day until the sixty days
are frittcred away and it becomes al
absolute necessity to extend the SeS-
sion in order to transact the public
business. This should not be, but
the general business of the state
should have attention first. If the
people do not demand the passage Of
a law, its enactment is mere eXpcr-
imcnt which should not occur, at
any rate until after all questions of
public and general interest have had
attention.
We have had seven sessions of the
legislature under the constitution
of 1884. Five sessions have been
extended beyond the sixty days
limit by a two.thirds' vote Of the
members of both houses. Only the
sessions of 1877 and 70 concluded
their labors within the time limited,
and we have long since reached the
point when the so.called limitation
of the constitution, by reason OF the
power given the general assembly to
set it aside, has become q deap let
ter. Since the adoption Of the
present constitution with its sup
posed limit of each session Of the
general assembly to sixty days, the
seven sessions have occupied five
hundred and eighty-nine days, or an
average of over 81 days to each
session.
We hold that if the organic law
provided that the legislature could
remain in session sixty days, Sun
days excluded, and no longer, the
members would first address them
selves to the accomplishment of the
will of the people, while the hobby
and individual idea would have to
bide their time. But until a new
constitution provides remedy We
may expect each successive session tc
be heightened out until six months
sessions are reached.
The way to limit the Legislative
session is by constitutional provl
sion that cannot be annulled by the
power it seeks to control, and thiS
provision can be attained mucl
quicker and at less expense by
constitutional convention than by al
amendment.
We propose to show this in anoth,
er article in which it is the intention
of the RECORD to discuss the ques
tion of expense as thoroughly as We
are able to handle such questions.