The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-10-26
ARE BIENNIAL SESSIONS WIsEs

interesting anu INSTRUCTIVE diGl-
Gle from the pen of Hon. J. 81.
Lesesne, on a subject which
should receive the intelligent
consideration Of every man be-
fore casting his ballot on the
.8th, Of November. The pro-
posed amendment to the consti-
tuition relative to biennial ses-
sions Of the General Assembly
is catchy to the unthinking, and
gave the politician a popular
argument to go before the
masses with; popular argument,
because the people are not al
ways satisfied with the work of
the General Assembly; restive
under it's unequaled laws, mis-
takes, blunders and discrimina-
tons, they are easily to be caught
with the declarations of politi-
clans seeking Office, and who
hold out the money saving idea
when in fact, the money saving
is only apparent upon the sur
face, which disappears as soon
as the politician accomplishes
his purpose. We agree with
Mr.. Lesesne that biennial ses-
sions are not in the interest of
economy button the contrary, it
is our opinion it will, after a few
years prove an additional ex-
pense.
The first few years, even after
the defects in the constitution
have been changed, there will be
sessions Of the legislature every
two years, then some emergency
will arise and the Governor will
be called upon to order the as
sembling of the General Assem-
bly in extra session; once the
precedent is established away
goes our biennial sessions, and
every alternate year the legisla-
ture will be assembled in extra
session. This is the experience
of States that have tried the
biennial plan. The State of
Georgia is supposed to have
biennial sessions, but in fact its
legislature meets every year.
Mr.. Lesesne calls attention to
a vital defect in the proposed
amendment, the calling for ''bi-
ennial" sessions in lieu of ''an-
nual" sessions without making
any provisions for the tenure of
Office and the revenue functions
of the government, and in our
opinion should the voters de-
eide to approve of the amend
ment in its present shape and it
is ratified by the General AS
sembly, it will take several ses-
sions of the legislature to put
our State government in work
ing shape.
The dickering with our con-
stitution so recently made will
afford fine field Of employment
for lawyers who are given to
carrying cases to the supreme
court wheneve: they can find
clients with the fees to back up
their efforts. We regard the
proposed amendment altogether
Intellectual, that it does not pro-
vide for what it's advocates are
representing, and in it's present
shape dangerous, annoying and
expensive.
When a member of the Gen
eral Assembly, not having given
the matter much study, we were
attracted by the economy argu-
menys by the biennial sessions
advocates, and voted twice in it's
favor, but since that time, we
have given the matter more
thought, examined into it's work
ings, and watched it's effect upon
other States, and have reached
the conclusion that there is no
money saved by having the ses-
sions every two years instead Of
one, and the evils which the peo-
pie complain of cannot be rene
died by changing the constitu-
ton. The remedy lies solely
and wholely with the voters in
selecting better material for
their Representatives. The con,
stitution does not need tamDer-