The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-11-13

| uOW6N6l, Wis bOCnOu w lhNOlNC bOIut
displacement of the relations of cause
and effect. On inquiry among active
participants in the canvass of 1872, and
on examining newspaper files of that
period, there seemed to be ground for
the conclusion that the evil began in
fact, not cat the top" but at the bot
tom; that the sentiment that one term
of two years would be the substantial
equivalent of two terms of one year
each was very generally prevalent
among the people. County conventions,
held prior to the state convention, had
shown the active existence of this senti-
ment and determination to put it into
practice. In Chittenden county con-
vention in particular the expediency of
renominating the senators was dis
cussed and emphatically voted down.
Lamoille and Orange counties had
taken similar action. The state con-
vention was the first point at which
pre-existing and general sentiment in
favor of rotation" found expression
and governed the choice of the execu-
tive. 1t seems hardly correct to say
that the legislative department fell I'M
der the rule which the delegates had
said should determine the selection of
the governor. The popular sentiment
in favor of one term for the members
of the Legislature had been developed
in three county conventions, in the
nomination of senators, before the state
convention assembled. 1t started
among the people. 1t did not begin in
the state convention for the nomina-
ton of the governor and flow back
upon and control the action of the peo-
pie in choosing senators and representa-.
tives. The evil began at the bottom,
but, like great many other evils, made
the fact of its existence apparent " at
the top" We concede everything
Governor Stewart says as to the char
acter and magnitude of the evil in its
relation to public office and its effects
on legislation, but rotation in the Office
of governor is comparatively harmless
custom. We are not able to see that
the proposed remedy applied cat the
top" would reach down to the seat of
the disease. We believe it would re-
suit in "hard and fast" rule for the re-
nomination of every governor, without
regard to merit, but would not extend
to the town caucus for the nominal
ton of representatives. Governor
Stewards proposition as first stated
was very strong one. The corol-
larry" he has since deduced seems to US
to weaken his original statement and
confuse the public mind.
This subject has been periodically
agitated. In 1882 vigorous effort to
reform the evil was made. The WATCH
MAN, then under the same editorship
as at present, was setting forth the
evils of rotation in the offices of sena-
tor and representative. 1t was plead
ing not only for the election to the leg
islature of men who possessed the con-
stitutional qualifications of "wisdom and
virtue," but to give such men rea-
sonably stable tenure of Office by sue
cessive reflections. Experience, it
was maintaining, is most essential
element of the wisdom contemplated
by the constitution, and this costly ele-
ment is lost by customarily filling up
the legislature with new men. AS the
outcome of this agitation the subjoined
resolution was adopted by the republic
can state convention in that year:
term practice which generally prevails in
the cleo ton OF members of the legislature,
believing that it seriously impairs the eff
ficiency of the legislative branch of the
state government; that, with a view to
correcting the evils which result from this
practice, we earnestly recommend the vo.
ters OF the state to choose for the offices of
representative and senator the persons most
noted for wisdom and virtue, and. by sue.
SoooiNo oioOpiohot ioonih ohouu III buo loRlblh-
tive service 80 long as may be compatible
with the public good"
With the prestige of the endorsement
by the state convention the proposed
reform was carried to the people. With
what result? The election of II repre-
sentatives who were members of the
house in 1880-two less than the mum.
Der of direct reflections to the legisla-
ture OF that year, without any agitation
of the question or any recommendation
of a state conventionl The counties
maintained the even tenor of their ro-
tary way in the choice of senators. The
subjoined table exhibits the amount of
legislative experience each house of
representatives, since 1875, has had to
light its dubious pathway: