San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-01-21
AUSTIN LETTER.
AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. -, IS9j

the legislature 1t occasioned con-
siderable discussion but resulted in
no definite action. This trip, how
ever, he is determined to occasion
more than idle talk, and with that
object in view has introduced a
very strong bill on the same
question that he agitated two
years ago. The bill he in
troduced in the early part
Of this session provides that sem
ators and representatives shall be
elected only once every four years
that their salary shall be $500 per
annum, and that the mem bership
of the House shall be limited to
SO and the Senate to 80. Senator
Greer also has a bill of a similar
nature requiring that all county
and state officers shall likewise be
elected every four years. Senator
Greer uses as an argument
in favor Of his bill that elections
every two years simply suffices to
keep politics ever on the move.
No sooner does a man get into Of
flee than he must Immediately be-
gin to hustle for reelection. The
Senator contends that when man
is installed into Office it takes him
at least six months to get
perfectly familiar with the
records and business of that. He
devotes his attention to business
for the next twelve months and
then the first breezess Of the next
election begins to fan his cheek.
This settles it, for the remaining
six months of his official term he
is out on the huskins looking after
his fences while the business Of
his office goes to the bow-wows.
In this way the office hold
er practically only serves one
year, though he is elected for two.
In order to make office holding
more of a business trust and less of
of a political arena, Senator Greer
now presents his bill providing for
four year terms. In this move he
has the hearty support Of quite a
number of his colleagues. In this
connection it would be we'll to
state that Senator Greer is not far
amiss in his surmises about
the office seekers leaving
their offices six months before the
election. Here at the state capitol
that is especially the case. 1t was
demonstrated more etfectually
than ever before during the can
vas just closed and for months at
a time some of the bosses in the
state house never saw the inside Of
their offices. Going at the same
rate Senator Greer's bill would at
least assure the taxpayers of three
years of service at the hands of the
office holders, and tits to be COM
mended for that if for no other
reasons.
The introduction of this bill has
however taken turn that was
WIDELY inspected by many, and
not given much thought by the
many few. In that it is about to
result in the calling Of constitu-
tional convention. The committee
that have the bill under considera-
ton will in all probability
recommend the calling Of
a constitutional convention
when they make their report on
the bills. Senator Greer at one
time contemplated the introduce
ton OF a resolution to that effect
himself, but he forebore for pru-
dent reasons. 1t is generally con-
ceeded among thinking politicians
that this calling Of constitutional
convention is a dangerous thing,
thought they are ready to ad-
NIT its necessity. The calling
OF this convention is dangerous
in that it is a most excellent
opportunity for the spring OF
mine and the total humiliation OF
the Democratic party. 1t is dan
gerous because it would give the
Republicans fine opportunity by
fusioning with the Populists to up
root the Democratic party in Texas.
The recent count for governor OF
this state showed that with
in four years the Democra-
tic vote has been pulled
down from 275,OOO majority to
$4,000 plurality. 1t further showed
that instead Of having a majority
the Democrats liked the possession
of any such by shortage Of over
5000 votes. This fact is seriously
considered by thinking Democrats
when the question of constitu-
tional convention is sprung. Sup
pose the convention should be
called for this summer as it neces-
sarily would be, what a golden
it would be for the Re-
publican politician to get in his
work. By working in with the
poDu1ists he could MANAGE To see