The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1905-02-15
The Lexington Dispatch.
Wednesday. February 10, 1905.
Biennial Sessions.
To the Editor of the Dispatch:

To the Editor of the Dispatch:
Il ia With great reluctance that We
ask az 8 70 10 your interesting columns
to make some comment upon Your
unk.nd insinuasiocs. from time to
time, against bien noial sessions Of the
Lsgi~lsture, and your endorsement
Of the apparent atteupt OF our law
makers TO defeat this worthy meas
ure.
This scheme has been before the
Legislative body for usny years.
Finally 8 resolution was passed
allowing the people to vote on the
opposed change, which was carried
by safe maj ,rity at the last cleo
too. Ncw, the Legislature seems
disposed TO kill it by technicaiisy
and the Dispatch is aiding and abet
ting them in their Efforts.
Assuming that the Dispstch is
honestly opposed to the cbaoge, the
public would like to know what there
Is about this matter of such serious
character: that your Journal is willing
to block the will of the people in
order to encompass it's defest Every
State in the Uniou has biennial ses-
sions except Six. and no State has
ever gone back to annual sessions
where the former has been tried.
Suppose an ezra session should
be called in an emergency, it can
only discuss measures for which it
was convened and could not possibly
last forty days. Il is not, however,
the expense so much, of the Legis-
latore in the abstract as the enor-
nous appropriations which, in many
cases could be avoided, and which
are increasing every year. The
State is now 100000 behind and
the end is not yet for the groaoing
taxpayers.
We will suppose, for the sake of
argument, that not cent would be
saved By the change, still it would be
useful as relief, in part, from the
numerous petty little laws which are
passed one session and repealed the
next Take the Legislature now in
session which is a good average in
Intelligence and energy. Without
any spirit of cavil and criticism it's
time hs> been taken up mainly, as
for several years, with the dispensary
aud compulsory education and no
change. The only measure of any
importance passed is the ten circuit
court bill, which means many thout-,
ands more to the taxpayers. Speak
ing to this bill Judge Hudson said in
answer to suggestion of technical
objection, that: mo technicality
should stand in the way of progress"
A postponemens of this bill was
promptly voted down. The lawyers
and politicians wanted it and techni-
caIities were promptly brushed aside.
But, mark you, when the biennial
sessions resolution was called up the
lawyers and politioians-who do not
want it were greatly alarmed over
technicalities, not even a yea and nay
vote was demanded and the matter
promptly passed over to the next
session while the Dispatch laughed
and was made glad.
We have always been taught that
We are living under system of gov
ernment where the will of the people
ia supreme and not under Russian
burlaucracy. The people of Lexing
ton county voted on the question Of
free bridge across Saluda river giving
the Fork easy access to the county
seat and for which the Dispatch
valisntly contended. Since that
vote was recorded not note of re-
sistsnce to the peoples will has ever
been heard.
The people also voted in no un-
certain way iu favor of biennial ses-
sions, the only difference being that
one is State issue and the other a
county measure. Then why submit
to the will of the people in small
ba;liwick and spurn it in State
matter
No man or journal believing in the
old Democratic doctrine of nsjority
rule, it seems to us, can consistently
fight the biennial sessions bill now,
since the matter has been given to
the people for q decision and since
their verdict was 80 positive at the
ballot box last summer.
The rule of the people, and
majority thereof, is the bulwark of
our American institutions and when
that principle is ignored by our law
makers with the sanction of the press.