Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1893-01-05
A Reform that is Sorely Needed.

Tie General Assembly was in session
from November % to December "a, and
had. therefore. about twenty-six days at
the most to work in, including the first
and last days of the session. We have
not the time or disposition to go over the
record, day after day, to ascertain pre-
cisely how many hours were devoted to
business. but presume that, taking the
two Houses together, and making allow
auce for time devoted to other matters
or lost in getting to work or in waiting
fer work. and in recesses and so on, 1t IS
a fair estimate to say that the average
time devoted to the actual work of lcgis-
lation could not have exceeded five
hours daily.
The number Of bills and joint resolu-
tions passed during the session, as shown
by the list published was 26l. AS the
number of working days was 26. as
stated. it follows that the average num-
Der OF bills and joint resolutions passed
per dav was ten, or at about the rate OF
two for every working hour, or one for
cyc,y working half hour of the session.
1t is evident from this simple showing
that most Of the measures that were
passed must have received very little
consideration. If more time than
half her las given to some of them,
the res. :nust have received propotion-
ately less than a half hour each, to make
the average so very low, and it is plain
at any rate that the great majority of the
| hills that were adopted went on the
statute book with only the most hurried
examination into their merits.
The case is even worse, however. than
is indicated by this view of it. A large
number of bills. etc, were introduced and
were read and were discussed more or
less at length before being finally rejected
or continued 20 the next session. About
fifty were continued" besides those
which were killed outright. II the num-
hers of these measures which failed to
pass. perhaps, not less than one hundred,
he added to the two hundred and sixty
which were enacted into laws. 1t is seen
that the brief average of time devoted TO
the consideration" of each must be
reduced to even less than half hour.
The legislation of the session, as a
whole. has manifestly been of the most
..hasty'' character 1t coul6 not IN the
nature of things have been otherwise.
There was not time for the due exanlna-
tion and consideration of the measures
submitted for the judgment of the mem
hers and it is idle TO assert that all
received the kind and degree of atten-
tion which should have been given to
them.
1t is not orc purpose, in making tins
plain-statement of facts, to give it a
merely partisan application. Possibly
the record of the session which has just
closed is not worse in the respect noted
than that of others which have preceded
it. But such as it is, it spe1 ) for itself:
and speaks loudly for the absolute neces-
sity Of some kind of reform in the con-
duct of all our legislation hereafter. 1t
! is impossible for any Legislature to do
it's duty to the people under such condl-
tions as those which are now presented.
Important measures must be neglected,
i or must be crushed through" without
due consideration SO long as so many
unimportant, and even trifing bills,
affecting only few persons or small
localities. are allowed TO cumber the
calendars and take up the time Of the
members on the committees and on the
floor of the two Houses.
The evil is glaring one, and appears
to be growing one. 1t should not be
tolerated, however. No matter should
be allowed to come before the General
! Assembly of the State that is not fully
worthy of its attention. 1t will be easy
/ enough to- draw the line, and commit
| the regulation of local subjects to, local
authorities, and the General Assembly at
}tits next session should take effective
action on the subject for its own pro.
siteetion and that ofits successors and OF
fthe. people. The reform is badly needed.
It should be carried into effect at. the
earliest possible day.-Nescs and eoarses'.