The record-union., 1895-08-19
AGE LIMITATION FOR THE LEGIS-
LATIVE OFFICE.

LATIVE OFFICE.
The Los Angeles Express returns to
the debate of the question concerning
youth in office, saying that it now heartily
agreed with the RECORD UNION in its
revised proposition" regarding young
men in legislative office. We except; we
have not modified our original state
ment. Print the first and the last side
by side and they will bs found identical.
What we did do was TO attempt to ex-
plain to our contemporary that which 1t
seemed to misunderstand and to set out
reasons for chasing its citations of young
mon who have attained great distinction
in our country as but exceptions which
prove the general rule. The Express,
however, says:
But the fact that age is generally more ma
ture mentally than youth could not JUSTIFY
setting up a constitutional limitation that
would not allow bright young men an oppor-
tunity to enter public life. II the people want
immature boys like Laugenour to represent
them, Well'and good; they have the right TO
vote tor them, as they did tor him; but they
should nave the right To QeclCe Wnetner InSlT
candidate has the necessary maturity OF In
telect or not The fact is that many men are
nominated to pubic Office and elected TO
places OF trust that no man would employ in
his private business. Tne crusade that the
press should engage IN is an educational cam
paign of the voters that would lead them 30
nominate men, and not boys, for important
places When we look at the men who COM
pose our public boards, legislative very often,
II is a surprise our laws are as good as they
are.
We find no serious objection to these
expressions save that in which it is
claimed that it would be the part of un-
wisdom to put a constitutional limitation
| Upon official position as to the age of the
incum bent. 1t appears to have escaped
the attention of our respected contem-
porary, that our laws already fix age lin
itations for many high offices. Thus,
one cannot be President, Senator, Cover
| nor of California or Lieutenant-Go Governor.
Representative in Congress aud SO on
as to many other positions except he has
attained q certain age.
Now, if one may not be Governor,
tCoAdbOA, io5lQChI
| Vice President without minimum age
qualification, why is it unwise or IRA
| tlonal to apply an age limit to State Sena-
| tors and Assem- blymen? If one to serve
in the lower house OF Congress must be
of the age OF %, and if long experience
has justified the wisdom of that qualifca-
ton, why should not some Limitation ap-
ply to the legislators within State, who,
by the way, are closer to the people than
are congressman. and capable Of doing
them more harm or good?
The Express insists that 'ff the people
| want immature boys'' (by the way, what
| is mature boy?} well and good. They
have the right to vote for them, but they
should have the right to decide whether
their candidate has the necessary matur-
ity Of intellect or not" This is begging
the question. The same plea might just as
we'll be advanced in favor OF removing
the age restriction upon Congressman.
Ao pOOpAC may 10 s1io ~ h1'O i1o0 10
right to vote for them without the quail
| fication of certain age. But the people by
their Constitution deliberately placed re-
striction upon that right, and to this date
no man in all the history of our country
| has even proposed its removal.
| Again, it is not so much question OF
maturity of intellect" as it is maturity
/ of character. Indeed, 1t is not question
| Of intellect that Is debated in this conten-
ton, but one OF moral stamina. character,
habit, fxity of purpose as the result OF
experience, worldly wisdom that is born
men.
Our contemporary urges that the cru
sade which should be preached is one OF
educational character, to bring the people
to such a frame of mind and conviction
that they will nominate "men" and not
{ "boys" for Office. But this gives away
| the position of the cypress. since it con-
| fesses all that we have contended for,
| namely, that it is ill-advised to place the
inox perienced youth in the legislative
Office, where he is exposed to temptations
against which his character building has
not armored him.
While it is true that gisen age is not
and cannot be q guarantee of capacity
and character. still it is a precautionary
| guard, and is more likely than not to se-
cure for the legislative Office one less
open to the allurements of the tempters
that swarm about youth in legislative
halls.
MRS MAYBRICK's case is again before
| the public and the English Government
in an effort to secure the release of this
unfortunate American woman under i'm
| prisonment on sentence for life. 4
powerful society has been formed in
England, backed by q large capital, tc
work in the interests of the prisoner. 1t