The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-03-10

ssea Il he ssesulbsEs TIE 3as<iee q some
psosiEsDn 81 this kind i beyanf azesssnEs
ssfkoaxa rs0s sea<<sl3y rreoxntzs6 With
/ Das Il state raAy be 20 dtvidesa - ~ prrs-
/ tzrzisy sisEt oct one political party trara
representation IN tie lezssissure-
The ez4EISesszcz CT members Of ezea
ssSHch 81 fbe lexiziEture IN tbs ds1ersnE
ktSEes - 70 &xe. Citizenship and ressdenes are
very s1Esefxe. TIE ages rno~s eenmonay
required for siiEiAsilsy 70 the senate and
hoase respectively srs : and a In Ore
sen. however, 2 Il tie sse required for
befh krzne5es. The bsxasss sss required,
"a for the senate 30 and the house - Is 10
vari0uaIy provided thai members Of the
legislature be cftirsns 81 the United states
cstlzens Of the state. o. qualified electors.
tie frsf mentioned provision being uaoss
common. A certain length Of residence n
the district or ia the district snd state Is
geaeragEy required The length 81 rssi-
aence var1es frurn u Gays Ia the district
and one year To the state - one ye1z Ii the
district ans1 Eve yesrs IN the state The
pfoper requirement woHId seem % be
snfHesexf length ot residence 20 tdensifE
the candidate for the Legislature with the
interests OF the district be proposes 70 rep
resent No person holding lucrative Of
See or appointment; under the United
states o. the state Is eligible. a. a rule. 90
seat In the general assembly, aud members
az this legislature are generally restricted
frpna appointment or election 70 ether
Offices
The legislature in 10 collective espxeity
10 called legislature, general assembly. or
general court, the more common deslgna-
ton being general assembly. The time Of
It's regular meeting IL generally fixed by
the constitution. although In some In
stances II Is left "a be designated By law.
The more common practice has been 70 Ok
no limit 20 the Duration of legislative ses-
I ss0ns, although in ssyeraI instances this
! has been done, the Limit being axed at
/ from 10 days AiabamsJ TO 100 days Cali
I fornis,.
!. Another important question 10 be deter
mined by the constitution Is the frequency
/ % the sessions OF the legislature. About
one hais of the states kava their legisla-
lures meet annually, while the other half
are satisfies. 10 have them assemble once
! ia two years. III the BILL OF rights Of the
constitution OF Massachusetts, II Is stated
! that ''the Legislature ought frequently 10
assemble for the redress Of grievances for
correcting, strengthening and confirming
the laws, and for making new laws IS the
COMMON good may require" In few
state IL would seem letter TO err on the
side OF too frequent sessions OF the legiala
ture than To run tile risk ~ not having IL
meet often enough. The only objections
TO annual sessions Of the legislature are
those of expense and the danger of unwise
az Ia ssfcx
weight IL the needs OF the community re.
quire the legislature 10 meet as often as
once q year as they doubtless would
/ ia a rapidly growing state such
~ the state OF Washington
is destined 20 be. As 70 the second objec-
ton, II may be said that the remedy lies
with the people A iudicious selection of
legislators win do much 10 secure wise
legislation, while m inindicious selection
woald result in unfortunate acts of the
legislature, whether 1t convened once a
year or once in two years. Indeed, II we
are % hare legislatures that cannot be
trusted 10 legisIaie for the good OF the
people. we can doubtless keep them busy
every year in uudaing the evil wrought by
their predecessors
The executive Is authorized by most
state constitutions 10 call extraordinary
sessions OF the legislature when circum-
stances seem to require IL. He may also
convene the legislature a. some ether
place when the scat Of government be-
/ comes dangerous from the prevalence OF
disease or the presence OF a common
enemy. Vacancies in either house are re-
quircd TO be flied by new election for
| the unexpircd term writs OF election are
| i4sued by the executive or by the legisla-
/ tHre, as the constitutions of the different
states provide.
| II is usual for the constitution of state
/ to determine both AS 10 the senate and
| house of representatives. % the first num-
befs, ca the limit of Numbers, CD length of
fun term, aud al number of classes into
| which the senate Ia divided. In few
cases the proportion Of members In the
senate 10 members In the house Is estab.
iished. The first number ofsenators varied
from 3 In Delaware 10 80 In Illinois aud
North Carolina; the limit OF numbers
from Is to so; The length Of a full term
from 10 years and the number OF classes
from | TO B The first number of repre-
sentaslyes varied from u Delaware to 40
tMsssaehusettsl: the limit OF numbers
from co New Jersey TO 30 (Massaehn.
sets: snd the length OF full term from
20 years. In a large majority OF cases the
constitutions OF the states provide that the
salaries of senators and representatives.
shall be fixed by law. although in few
exceptional cases the pay per diem and
the limit of salary 70 be allowed for a ses-
sion arr fixed by the constitution. Mileage
allowance for members Of both senate asd
ss3ft f,f
or required to be fixed by law. The conssi.
tuition further provides as TO the number
necessary To constitute quorum, the
power of the minority Ia compel attend.
ance Of absent members, the officers OF
each house and the rules OF procedure.
They ordinarily provide. moreover. thai
all sessions of the legislature shall be held
with open doors, that members OF the leg.
islaiure shall be exempt from arrest, ex.
cept In case OF treason, felony or breach oil
the peace. or service Of civil process; and
that they shall not be questioned in any
other place for any remarks made In either
house
The general powers Of the legislature are
differently expressed in the constitutions
OF the states. The constitution OF Con
neciieus, Delaware. Indiana. Iowa, Oregon,
Pennsylvania. Tennessee, Vermont. Ne
hraska and ohio state ia substance that
the legislature shall have all other power
necessary Tor brunch Of the legislature OF
free and Independent state. The consti.
tuition of Georgia provides that "fhe gen.
eral assembly shall have power 70 make all
laws aud ordinances consistent with this
constitution and no, -epugnant to the con.
siisatson ~ the Tinted states which they
shall deem necessary and proper for the
welfare of the state"
fae proper place of originating bills OF
certain descriptions and the iormalties 70
be observed in the passage and enactment
OF bills arc generally established by con
ssitntinnsl provision. II is also customary
% enumsrate the subjects with reference
10 which special laws can be passed OF laws
Tor individual or private benefit
GEORGE II. Hebron.
Does Seattle Mountain of Good.
fendleton Daily East oregonian.
The Seattle OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES i as
good paper as there is printed GA the
ceast. Il Is ably managed and edited and
does seattle n mountain ~ good IL Is one
Of The best evidences that Seattle is the
''eity Of fAe sound, destined 10 become
The metropolis Of the Pacific as New York
is of the Atlantic coast