The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-01-11

y large 10 cover any reasonable per-
lod OF service and provision should be
made for compensation in case an
extra session should be called by the
governor But it would be a whole
some stimulus to diligence il members
Knew that the pay OF four dollars a
day would not continue indefinitely
while frequent adjournments were la
sen. II members know that they
viii get so much and no more II is
likely To keep a goodly number from
leaving for their homes. Friday be-
lore the business OF the day Is end
ed not to return until the following
tuesday The tendency TO adjourn
when members should stay at the
'apital and work is becoming seri-
JUS and costly evil and Is little short
)f a scandalous condition OF affairs.
The sum voted should be large
enough TO prevent disposition 10
nasty legislation or Sinking of duty.
Il may be that the salary should be
liked az the sum OF $3.50 instead Of
5000 II the legislature should con-
yene early In January there would
De a period of three months unbroken
by holidays available for legislative
work. Adjournment OF a few days
for the municipal elections In March
might be considered necessary but
there would be fewer temptations TO
lake vacations than are offered under
The present system Allowing three
months period which ought to be long
enough to do, and do well, the work
required. and excluding Sundays. the
sum OF $3.50 would be at a rate
little better than four dollars a day.
This paper has argued before for
"A modification OF the system of pay
ing mileage which IL considers unnec-
essary. not 10 say vicious. The allow
ance OF sixty cents per mile for the
session cannot be necessary, 1t Is
not necessary for members to go TO
their homes every week. On the
days when adjournment was reached
by Thanksgiving day members re
NAMED here over Saturday and Sun
day most OF the session. Business af-
airs ought TO be arranged so that
hey will not require attention each
week. Some sacrifices ought 20 be
made 10 expedite the business OF the
state The lump sum payment is in
,he interest of true economy and the
DIN ought TO pass.
The Burlington Clipper says on the
subject
The increasing length OF the legis-
latlve session from year to year. has
naturally led people TO seek the
cause. While Vermonts business is
growing larger year by year IL is no,
growing so rapidly that II must needs
lake twice as long TO transact It as
Il did but a few years back. An eX'
tended session now and then may be
Excused but IL seems to bee getting to
be confirmed habit The present
session Is going to be long one. lts
predecessor was n long one. Now II
the next one Is also long one that
would make three In succession and
three In succession would establish
a precedent so .strong that Il would
be difficult to break H.
"The suggestion Is made that the
method OF payment for legislative la
Dor be changed Instead OF paylnl
si.oo per day Hat It is urged that tn,
lump sum plan for the session shoul,
be adopted. This Is the plan use'
In New York state us well az In man'
other states OF the Union. The leeis
llators under this plan would receive
the same amount OF compensation 10
n short session that they would for
long one. II would naturally lead 4
lcxpeditlon on the part OF those mem
bcrs with whom the pay Is a FIRST con
alteration. There can be little doub
that the present pan. leads just a
naturally 10 "A long session. Mont
u,iipr Inurnnl