Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1895-10-10

twice to the Legislature in succession
say it is disgrace, for it is a state
ment and acknowledgement that
public Office is not trust but pri
vate "snap," to be distributed abou
among the citizens of d town. 1t is
declaration that experience shall no
count in a mans requisites. For in
stance, you send a good man to til,
Legislature. He comes back with TIN
experience Of the session, but you dt
not send him again, forAsomc one els'
wants to go. By that you declare
that experience amounts to nothing
and that your new man can do YOU
town as much good as the old one
By this you declare that the Office 81
representative is mere button to
adOrn the coat of the wearer.
Such action belittlcs the Office. Look
at the practical side Of it. Take a
question of moment. Your legisla
tors Of to-day 60 to work Tuesday,
adjourn Friday and resume Tuesday
again. AT the end OF the session,
when the snow begins to fly and it is
nearly time to go home, you rush the
bills through. Then two years later
you send a different set of men to do
the same thing over again. BY this
action what do you do? You destroy
the continuity of your legislature.
In conclusion the speaker said that
while Vermont's general assembly
lacked in some respects it was respect
ed the world over for that one great
principle-honesty.
Gen. Grout said in part: 1t was, at
a late day, assigned to three or four
OF us to say something at this point in
the programme in lieu Of an expected
historical address; and to myself, as /
presume to the others, it was suggest
ed that touch little on the history
Of law. This is large subject. 1t is
as broad as the history Of man and
everywhere marks his progress, social,
political and religious.
Where shall | begin! Logically
with the first great law-giver and GER
ainly with great propriety with the
first trace Of Legislative assembly.
Then should | tell you about the
,wclve united tribes or states OF Israel
ind the Mosaic law. Each OF these
RIDES had its Legislative assembly of
he Jewish nation. Though in form
! theocracy, here was, in substance,
the first republic; and here
90 were the outlines Of the first legis-
atlre known in history, from which
III present legislatures, with some
and enlargement, OF
curse, and lincally descended.
Gen. Grout then briefly reviewed
he Legislative history OF Greece and
ZONE and went on to say that while
n the formation period OF our institu-
ions our Legislative bodies have been
ecessarily active in providing for the |
lew situations constantly arising in a
ew country, a time is coming, il that
ime is not already here, when the
arger and better duty Of the legisla-
i've body will be to preserve and give
feet to the laws we already have rath-
+ than add more thereto.
The real demand is for less and |
lore carefully considered legislation;
nd this idea is forming expression in
le adoption Of biennial instead OF an
ual legislative sessions, which, per-
apps, might as well be extended to
,ngress, and SO have a little less OF
lat now almost perennial institution.
! fact. there have been some congress-
that perhaps better never have as
mbled at all. A good many people
ink SO, at least. / mean by this that
Q could get along with less legisla-
on, state and national, if what we
I'd were only Of the right sort.
If things are out Of joint, for what
'er cause, it is too much the habit of
me people to seek relief through leg
ation; when in fact the means for
lief is within our own reach, or at
ast is entirely beyond the reach Of
gislation.
Another thing that should be re-
embered is, that Legislative bodies !,
Q seldom, if ever, leaders in reform.
dividual members may cry aloud !.
/ important and necessary changes, !,
It defamation is one thing and a
v on the statute book is very diff I
'ent thing. Reforms and the neces- =
y for them are first established in =
bic opinion or should be, and then !;
Is always an easy matter to register z
I'm in the public acts. And this is !,
, true province of the legislator, to ::
yister the will Of his constituents, :
d not waste his strength in exploit q
some supposed reform, especially if
overturn the existing order Of E
ngs, unless it has become intolera- A
I, and if it has, he will be likely to
IN that fact from his own constitute
s.
The safe, the successful legislator a
| never tear down till he is sure he 0
/ build better. OF
Thursday afternoon a legislative u
lion of all representatives was held IN
the armory. Speaker w. w. q
,kney presided, saying: "We have ~
Sc assemblies together too seldom. -
n persuaded that the sessions of Ia