The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-11-17
Tbe biennial Session Question.

The Newark Sunday Call" comes out
editorially, this week. against biennial
sessions of the Legislature. While adj
hitting the weight of some of the argu-
ments generally put forward in their
favor, it Ivan several excellent rea-
sons why they should not be adopted in
this State.
Fer once. we fully agree with the
sCan.' There are only two affirmative
arguments applicable. One is the avoid
ance Of the annual election, with its ac-
companying excitement. This is. of
course. of no conceivable value SO long
as we elect county officers for terms of
odd years. The other is the reduction
in the mass of legislation, and the utter
werthlessness of such a claim must be
apparent to all but crank reformers. The
practical certainty is that a biennial ses-
sion will last about twice as long and do
about twice as much as an annual one.
and if it makes a blunder the result m
be endured longer. The saving of money
Is practically nil on election expenses on
account of the county offices, and that
on the abolition of the sessions is a very
questionable. as well as a small econo-
my.
The arguments in favor of annual cleo
lions and sessions are strong and numer-
GUS. One of those advanced by the Call
is the educational effect on the people.
The training in thought and adjudication
on public questions and the habit of in
terest in the exercise of the suffrage are
vast gains. from the holding of annual
contests. On this subject the Cali
speaks particularly well. 1t says
We believe that the most serious evil
which threatens the present system of
government is the indifference and ignor-
ance of the citizen for whom it is man
aged. The late campaign shook the peo-
pie out of their indifference, but. notwith-
standing the gratifying result, it revealed
q condition OF ignorance which every
statesman recognizes now as appalling.
It is very well to say that a majority
decided Alright, and always will, but If
six millions of American voters were
~ ~ OA6 III 0LA6OA - " 0fCAt A4lOl ely &c
cause seven millions were right. Now
the ignorance shown in this contest was
not so much in regard to finance, or any
other single issue" as in the general
exhibition of inability to see that first
principles of government were being as
sailed. II is said that forty thousand
votes, properly placed in doubtful States,
would ave changed the result. Yet six
millions were wrong.
Non of us want such another cam
palgn but is the right way to avert It to
box? You may postpone legislative elec-
tions q year, or change Presidential cleo
tons from four years to SIX, or to eight,
but the test will come just the same, and
the real question is, how shall the voter
be made capable OF meeting and deciding
issues according to truth and 1~ustice2 MOI
by refusing to trust him, not by stripping
him of his responsibilities, not by max
ing a stranger to his duty as a citi-
zen. The way to teach Is by practical
illustration.
All this is deserving of consideration
and indyed. for our own part, we endorse
it unhesitatingly. There is another
strong argument besides, based on the
absolutely experimental character of oul
municipal legislation n the recklessnes:
of many of our political cliques and
bosses. This is the frequent relief that
is sought from and afforded by the Legis,
lature against intolerable conditions il
the cities and counties. It is true tha
the power of change has been abused oc
c~asionally; but ON the whole more good
than harm has accrued from the existenc,
Of al annual Court OF Appeals-as TIL
.caHr terms 1t, to overturn the cornbin,
atoms of interruptions politicians.