The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-05-13
A SMALLER LEGISLATURE.

D. r. Streeter, editor of The En-
mons County Record, and member of
the recent legislature from Emmons
county has the following comment on
the size Of the North Dakota legis-
lature which The Forum believes con-
tains information that should be put
before every voter in the state.
Mr.. Streeter says:
The Fargo S~earchlight has a very
sensible editorial article in which it
calls attention to the fact that the
North Dakota legislature has too
many members, and says that it
ought to be reduced by half. The
writer at the last two sessions was
the oldest member Of the lower body
of the assembly, n from his eXper-
fence he is prepared to indorse every
word said in The S~earchlight article.
Not only is the matter Of expense to
be considered; there are other rea-
sons, and weighty ones, why a small
er number of members in both houses
would be better for the people of the
state.
To insure good legislation every
member should at all times during
the session have a thorough knowl-
edge of what is being done. That can
not be done at all under present on
ditions. 1t is impossible for a mem
Der of Or a visitor to a house session
to understand why it was that a
chamber ideal in most Of its arrange
ments should have been built with
out the least regard to it's acoustic
properties. 1t is a fact, however, that
with the present large membership
those members who draw seats on
the distant sides of the room know
practically nothing of what is tran
spring. Unless the member has a
powerful voice and a distinct enuncia-
ton, scarcely a word Of his remarks
is true Of the readings by the clerks.
Unless the reading clerks have a
strong voice, a third Of the member
ship cannot understand them.
During the last days of the sessions
and particularly the final night ses-
sion-there is such a turmoil and
business is so rapidly rushed that only
those not far removed from the clerks
desk have a knowledge of just what
legislation is being enacted. This is
all wrong, inc it is extremely danger
Gus to proper legislation. 1t is a fact
that man. a member who has drawn
a seat distant from the speakers ros-
trum goes home at the end of the
session with scarcely any knowledge
of what measures really became laws
especially those rushed through at
the final al1-night sitting-and he is
not wiser until the session laws are
published.
What an opportunity is thus Great
ed for the passage of "~Woodchucks'
that would not become laws were
there time and opportunity for the
members to understand and properly
consider the measures before them,
At the first session held in the new
house chamber, 1905, a resolution vas
passed asking the board of trustees
of public property to consult with
some one having a scientific knowl-
edge of acoustics and ascertain
whether it would be possible to i'm
prove the deplorable condition exist
ing in the chamber in the matter Of
sound. In response several small
wires were strung across the room
about on a level with the gallery.
This helped a little, but not much.
and the trouble still exists, and it is
said cannot be remedied.
The constitution provides that the
minimum number of senator's shall
be thirty and Of the house members
sixty. With the house membership
reduced from its present number
which is III to so, the members could
alI be seated within hearing distance
of the presiding officer and the clerks
and of one another, and business
could then proceed with a knowledge
on the part of everybody as to what
was taking place. The railing thar
fences off the part Of the room which
lis given over to occupation by the
public could then be brought for
ward, giving considerably more space
To the people Of the state who at
tend a session to view the machinery
by which laws are made for their
there are occasions at every session,
ana especially towards the close. when
the parts of the chamber devoted TO