The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-01-30
TIE BIENNIAL SYSTEM.

The Free Press, in a recent article on
the SUBJ ct of biennial elections and ses-
sIOns, expressed the opinion that it
would be better for the state if elections
tions were held in November, coinci-
dent with the national election, and IL
the legislative session should be held in
the winter instead of in the fall.
Changes of this kind have been occa-
slonally suggested, but the reasons for
them have never made much Of an inn
preston upon the people, and probably
are not strong enough to secure change
at present, if they ever do. Custom,
climate, social considerations, personal
comfort and convenience will probably
prevail against such doubtful economic
II political considerations as may be
urged in favor Of these changes.
This subject comes up in Yermont at
his time in connection with the discus
sion of a proposed change in Massachu-
Setts from the annual to the biennial
-ystem. and Governor Brackett's rec
ImmendatiOn Of biennial elections and
nnual sessions of the legislature. We
believe the people of Vermont are en-
'irely satisfied with biennial elections.
Ii is doubtful il they are so well satisfied
with biennial sessions of the legislature.
Theoretically, biennial sessions for a
state like Vermont are well enough, but
here. as in many other cases. theory and
nractice are not entirely in accord,
The good in the theory has been de.
s'royed by bad political custom. The
rigid lnslstance of the voters on the one
erm rule IN the office of senator and
own representative has had perni-
lous effect upon legislation. This is
'ecoRnlzed and admitted by all close OBJ
servers of the practical working of the
biennial system m respect to legislative
sessions. The matter has been the sub
Ject OF frequent discussion in the news
gapers and political conventions. Ef-
iorts have been made to change she Gus.
tom that biennially fills the legislature
with men unaccustomed to the business
of law making. In 1882 the Republican
state convention put resolution into
Its platform advising and urging the re-
election of faithful and competent sena.
tors and representatives, but in this, as
IN some other things. 1t was true that
ave sing the song. we raise the strain,
And back we go to the same old way again.
We do not propose at this Nme to dis
cuss this matter. Tne Free Press has
fairly Testaled the conclusions to which,
as we have said candid observers of the
practical workings of the biennial sys-
EN- as to sessions of the legislature have
been forced. Our contemporary says:
"When it comes to biennial sessions of
the legislature, some other considera-
tions enter into the case. The added
stability to the laws secured under the
biennial system is beneficial to the pub
IIc, and the saving to the public treas.
ury from holding legislative sessions
once IN two years. rather than yearly, is
of course worth considering, provided
AS careful and good legislation is OBJ
aimed under the biennial system as
under the annual. In Vermont, we are
sorry to say, this is not the case. Here
biennial sessions have been unwisely
coupled with an unwritten one term
rule for our legislators, which fills our
senate and house with untried and mex
perienced men. Formerly, under the
annual system, reelection was &C.
corded as rule to every senator and
representative who served one term
with credit. About half of each house,
conse quently, where men who had be-
come familiar with the legislative ma
chine, had had the benefit of the discus.
sIOns of the previous sessions, and were
posted on many subjects which come up
session after session. Now both houses
are substantially composed of green
hands. Much of the old incentive to in
dustrious and careful work is lost, for
every man knows that however we'll he
does he can not expect a reelection.
| As inevitable consequences, our legisla-
lures get slowly to work, take frequent
recrsses, and give us cruder and less
careful legislation than they used to do.
The loss thus cOunterbalances the gain,
md since the one-term rule seems to be
fastened upon US, 1t would probably be
for the public benefit here to return to
| annual sessions"
THe Wdtchmdn has been among the
tdvoca es ut The biennial system, as ap-
| Piled both to elections and legislative
sessions. 1t has labored to reform the
abuses that have grown up under the
system. 1t has observed the develop
ment an growth of those abuses. The
Free Press has stated them well, but the
conviction has been strengthening that
the loss of the law-making function has
come largely to Overbalance, rather than
merely to ''cOunterbalance the gain"
through the injurious application of the
one-term rule. Biennial elections, but
annual sessions. in these days of rapidly
shifting economic and industrial condi-
tipns, seem to be demanded by prudence
and by good business Watch