Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-28
GOVERNOR NAMES
NEEDED REFORMS
C'Neal of Alabama Says Legis-
latures Are Looked Upon
With Contempt.

Colorado Springs, Colo, A., co.
Far-reaching reforms in the makeup
and methods of state legislatures, in
Guiding more frequent sessions, small
err membership, better salaries for
members, and greater percentage of
Legislators at large" we're advocated
by Governor Emmett ONeal of Ala
bama in an address before the con-
ference of governors here today. Gov
ernor O'Neal, whose subject was "Dis-
trust of state legislatures, the cause,
the remedy" also urged an extension
of the executive veto power.
II state constitutions stand in the
way of necessary reforms" said Gov
ernor O'Neal, let those constitutions
be amended. Let no narrow spirit of
conservatism check us in our efforts
to make our state governments more
efficient"
'phasizing the need of radical re.
vision of many of the present methoGE
of legislative procedure, the ALABAMA
, governor cited a constantly growing
distrust of state legislatures on the
part of the people. 'In some states"
he declared. this distrust has grown
into open contempt. In many, a ses-
sion of the legislature is looked upon
as something in the nature of an un-
avoidable calamity. Business becomes
alarmed, industrial development is
checked and there is general apprehen-
SION
Various methods adopted to increase
! the tone and efficiency of legislative
| bodies have, said the speaker, failed
to improve the legislative output. 1T
will be found" he said, that the legis-
| latures have been more corrupt and
more incompetent in exactly the pro-
portion that they have been increas-
ingly deprived Of power and their re-
sponsibility restricted"
Supporting his contention that fire.
Quent legislative sessions would aid
in increasing the efficiency of legis-
| latures, Governor O'Neal cited his own
state, where but one legislative ses-
sion is held every four years There
quadrennial system" he declared, has
proven to be the most prolific source
yet devised for hasty, ill-advised, and
ill-considered legislation. The vice of
the system is that it denies the people
for four years the right to repeal or
revise vicious or unwise legislation"
Continuing Governor O'Neal said:
THE present salary in almost every
legislature is utterly inadequate. It
would be better for the state to invite
free service from her citizens than to
pay the miserable pittance she now
offers.
One of the strongest objections to
our legislatures as now constituted is
that the members represent only To-
calities and are more concerned in
promoting local legislation than in en-
acting necessary laws for the state at
large. 1t would unquestionably elevate
the tone of state legislature If a
certain proportion of its member;
we're elected from the state at large
The membership of on" legislatures
should also be decreased.
Another defect In our methods OF
legislation is that there is no central
Irresponsible authority which can BIZ
held accountable for the laws ena,t(
There is but one remedy for this. and
mat Is TO increase the powers and
duties OF the executive. As President
Wilson has wisely stated. the people
demand leadership. They look to the
governor, and not to individual mem
bers of the legislature for such meas
ures as conditions may require"
The initiative and referendum was
characterized by the speaker as mere
~ a palliative temporary, not a
permanent remedy"
The theory that every citizen
should be allowed to become a law
maker" said Governor O'Neal, ''is
more plausible than practical"
Madison. Wis, was selected the next
meeting place of the conference of
governors The executive committee
was reelected.