The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-16
Lssters Co The Editsr
4 STRONG ARGUMENT.
Fnspr of Biennisl Legislative Amenamena fa shn Conntituffon.

IIn Fnspr of Biennisi Legislative F Amenamsat te the Constitutios.
 Editor of The Aaviser:
 II Is remarkable that numbers of men. are now using the same arBu- ment Tor and against the biennial ses- sions amendment. We hear one man say he is opposed to the Legislature meeting oftsner than once in four years beca use we have too many laws now; and the next man will say he wants the Legislature ta meet every two years so that-swe will have fewer and more mature laws. Which IS system hsaa asf of hs s sGnnsa senate ho over and the other half come frcs1 from the people with the, members of the House. The Senate was created to serve as g cheek on, the House and tc secure more deliberation in the mak- ing of laws. When they are all elect ed at the same time for the same term land Governor tool who checks the other? Under the quadrennial system what Is the use of haying a Senate
 Tn my judgment, more laws are en- acted under our present system than would be with biennial ssssions--and they are more hastily framed and can not all be carefully considered, and are thus immatnfely spread upon our statute books to remain for four years without an opportunity for repeal or revision. If an attorney Is asked. for a legal opinion as to the construction Of an. act. he will spend q great deal more time in studying and booking up with reference to 1t than was gwen Tn drawing the bill and considering il for passage. Sometimes a bill oi great general importance Is drawn py book without any thought as to its constitutionality, and without any preparation as, to it's technical con, struction. Some good and some bad h llu arA Hh7Rm lMaS A islative committee has time to careful ly consider each bill that is referred to II. 1T there was more care used In draw ing bills, and committees had more there would be fewer. useless or un- constitutional laws. Bills could he studied and revised, and thus perfect ed. and. useless measures could be weeded out, The added cost of bien- niai sessions would not nearly equal the enormous loss occasioned by uR- constitutional and vicious legislation The argument is made that the Gov ernor can call an extra session True but then again he can refuse to do. ist It is. not often that he will do so ex' cept in case of dire necessity, and ne is the sole judge as to when such necessity exists. The people have nc ty Of expressing themselves. They should have an opportunity of glvtnH expression to their wishes oftener than once in foug years on matters oi general legislation }sa4
 Under the old constitution a great part of the legislative ssession was taken up with local leEislation. Now that most rnstters of strictly loca character have no place in their de- Alterations. with biennial sessions they would have time to consider and become familiar with proposed billa ana thus be in position to intelii' gently. reject useless or vicious measures As the matter now stands no one member can know. that he 1. voting .inteiligently on all bills that come ,upf for passage: For this req son. more than for any other, many useless laws are. enacted.
 Just think of 1t, the accumulation of. four years to be disposed of h fifty days! Who can expect a care ful consideration of all the many questions which are bound. to arise arise in great and growing state like ours In that short space of timer WhS With biennial sessions there will bt one hundred days in the same length of time with the added benefit of ar expression from the people half-way OssIIo AIsbanna Is the only State in th. union. with. quadrepnial sessions. 1l was distinctly d retfogre' movement and having found 1t to be So. let ui retaRh to the true system of govern ment by tile people. Resgsettuilgy,s g,s.,,n,,
 Camden. Ala, October 14th, 1908. -~