The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1905-08-05
the general assembly and operate

the general assembly and operate II
through their chosen clique.
The subservient members know this,
but they also know that any attempts
on their part to assert their independ-
ence and attempt to take away con-
troll from the dominant clique would
bring upon them the effective displeas-
ure of their local bosses. So they per-
NIT the few to run the house; to
work Is hours a day while they loaf
around, willing to work, but having no
opportunity offered. This enforced
leisure, as l have pointed out, carries
its curse with 1t.
Perhaps the most welcome sound
ever heard was the crash of my gayel
which adjourned sine die the last gen.
eral assembly of which | was a MEM
Der. | had served in the house half
a dozen terms, and had been speaker
two of them. AS / left the ~statehouse
that last day a fellow member said to
me:
"Will you com back next term?"
"No," I replied. Il want a little
time before die to find my old belief
that most men are decent"
When | first came to the legislature
I had large confidence in mankind. |
entertained the opinion that the world
was always getting better. / ended
my legislative career almost a con-
firmed cynic. That was a few years.
ago. Since then things have hap
pened. There are indications every
where that point to changed condi-
tions and new moral forces in legisla-
lures. Boodling is not 80 popular as
it was once, because the ordinary citi-
zen is learning how to pick out a
boodler and what to do with him when
he is discovered.
But the most encouraging indication
of practical legislative reform is the
growth of public opinion in regard to
the election of United States senators
by popular vote. When the duty of
electing national senators is taken
from the legislature, there then will
be no rightful claims that members OF
a general assembly must be elected by
party votes. Then a state legislature
will be entirely a local body, having
no connection with the national gov
eminent. 1t will be to the state what
o common council or board of alder
men is to a city, and its members can
be elected without regard to their po-
litical creeds.
This separation of national politics
from state affairs will do much to for
ward the comparison election OF
members of a legislature, and when
the day comes that Independents and
n%onpartisan organizations send a ma
jority of Independents to the state cap
itol the great nonpartisan %organiza-
ton of graft and Doodle will hurriedly
dissolve.
But so long as the legislature elects
United States senators. the members
of the general assembly should be
elected as republicans or democrats.
Il Only a few weeks ago a United
States senator L to me-:
cit will be many years before we are
elected by popular vote. 1t will take
a long time to work up public senti-
ment to the point where the national
congress will be compelled to take &C
ton which will result in taking the
election of senators from the general
assemblies of the state. l very much
doubt If there ever will be any change
from the present method of electine
senator's. You see, every year this
movement for Independent or non
/ partisan action in the election of city
, and county officials is growing strong
r er. 1t will not be so very long before
: this movement will threaten the pres
| ent method of nominating and elect
: ing members of state legislatures. But
, the same arguments in favor of non
: partisan candidates for mayor anu al
4 dermen will not have force when ap
piled to legislatures. Our general as
semblies elect United States senators
and we must, for the safety of the ma.
: ton, have opposing political parties
: represented in the senate and house
: So it is Just as necessary that these
parties be represented as parties ii
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. elections mus
!. be partisan affairs, not nonpartisan
: New, until you can get party pride ant
!, partisan politics out of legislatures
: you cannot change the present method
: Of electing senator's"
: And yet some of the smartest poll
ticians in the country are advOcatins
popular election of senators, an6
smart politician is n who finds on
which way the people are heading ant
then cuts across lots to get in from
Of the procession to lead IL.
= Hard Working Newspaper Men.
$ Mark Twain once said that his aver