The sun., 1906-06-22
The Proposed Lengthening OF tho
Term Of Representatives.

There is no doubt that on Wednesday
the House Of Representatives would
have approved by a two-thirds vote, as
1t repeatedly has, the proposal that
United States Senators shall be chosen
by direct vote OF the people had not
the motion been coupled with a provi-
sion extending the term of members of
the lower house to four years. The
addendum was fatal to the success of
the main proposal and if it had been
submitted separately would have been
buried under an avalanche of negative
votes.
Ostensibly there are some precedents
In the history Of parliaments for extend
ing the term of members OF the popular
branch of our Federal Legislature al
though, as we shall presently show, they
are not really relevant Since the ac-
oession OF GEORGE I. the British House
Of Commons, previously triennial. has
been nominally septennial. In France,
under the Third Republic, the Chamber
Of Deputies is elected for four years.
The members Of the Italian Chamber of
Deputies are chosen for five years. The
statutory term of the members of the
Reichstag, or lower house of the Parlia-
ment of the German Empire, was three
years up to 1888; since then it has been
Ave. The House of Representatives, or
popular branch of the Landtag or Prus-
sian Parliament, was originally chosen
for three years, but in 1888, as in the
case Of the Reichstag, the term was
heightened to five. In the Kingdom Of
Saxony the members of the lower cham
Der of the Landtag are elected for six
years, one-third of the members, how
ever, retiring every two years. The
members Of the popular branch of the
Bavarian Landtag are also chosen for
six years, the method of election being
indirect. The same thing is true of the
House of Deputies in Wurtemberg. ex-
cept that it is the outcome of direct
universal suffrage. In the Grand Duchy
OF Baden the term Of the popular assem-
bly,, which is elected by universal suf-
frage though by indirect secret ballot,
is four years, but one-half of the men,
bers must be chosen every two years.
The House Of Representatives, or popu-
lar branch of the Reichsrath or Parla-
ment of Austria, is elected for six years.
The Table of Deputies, or lower house
OF the Hungarian Diet, was formerly
chosen for three years, but in 1885 the
term was extended to FIVE. Finally, in
Switzerland the members of the Ma
tional Council the popular branch of the
Federal Assembly, are elected for three
years.
Evidently, on the surface of things,
there are, as we have said precedents
enough for extending the term of our
House Of Representatives. The appar-
emily favorable facts will not bear
close scrutiny, however. Practically
the terms of the lower houses in Euro
pean parliaments are very much shorter
than they are nominally; and in every
instance but one the popular chambers
are dissolvable without their own con-
sent. 1t is notorious, for instance, that
In Great Britain no Parliament lasts seven
years as a matter of fact, but that, on
the contrary, the term is in practice
very much shorter, the two Houses
being dissolvable at any moment by the
King on the advice of his Prime Minister.
In France, under the Constitution of
1875, Parliament may be dissolved by
the President Of the republic, provided
he can obtain the assent of the Senate.
As it happens, the prerogatve has been
exercised only once, namely, by Presi-
dent IMAGINATION in 1877; but there it is,
and it could be asserted in any emer-
gency when the Executive could rely on
the support of majority of the Senator'S.
The power of dissolution is exercised so
frequently in Italy that the life of it's
Chamber of Deputies, nominally five
years, is in reality nearer two. In Ger
many the Reichstag may be dissolved
st any moment by the Bundesrath, or
Federal Council, with the consent of the
Emperor. The power has been exercised
on several memorable occasions-twice
when the statutory term was only three
years. In Prussia the Kings power to
dissolve the Landtag is unlimited, except
by provision requiring an election OF
the House of Representatives to be held
within sixty days, and a new Landtag