Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-06-11
lem that calls for discussion and legis-
lation.
TO CUT STATE EXPENSE,
(From the Rutland HeraldD


(From the Rutland Herald)
Various State newspapers have express
ed a degree Of CONSERVATION when con.
fronted by the increase In the cost Of Stats
government which has gone by leaps and
bounds from 1903, 81 in 1883 Legislative
year, or s2l3,s52.i9 in 1884, to 81 Isl, 3710i
in 1912 and Sl,493964 in 1913 Legislative
Year). Suggestions for a working remedy,
however, have been more than infrequent
ut-Gov. Frank T.. Howe places the
responsibility with the people and their
demands for such things as better farm
ing propaganda, better roads, factory In
| spection, workmen's compensation, public
schools and colleges, state advertising
and institutions to care for the sick, the
blind and defective. He finds the remedy
in more efficiency in the various branches
Of State government
The st. Adams Messenger points out the
need of q budget system in which q hard
and fast estimate could be made and leg
islators pledged to its limitations There
| is much merit in both Of these sugges.
lions, but neither Of them begins at tn,
source of the trouble which is in the Leg.
islature itself.
! AS the Herald views 1t, the first and alb
solutely essential reform must come from
| the Legislature itself. A session limited
by joint resolution to 60 days will accom-
plish all necessary Legislation and thu
spur Of the time-llmit and accompa nylng
salary-lmit will make for efficiency.
Cumhercd by helpless and unwieldy
numbers, the House, in particular. loads
itself up with a mass Of mostly worthless
bills and then laborously and conscien-
tously pows through them under such
leadership as a score or two Of trained
members may provide.
Half Of these bills are not worth taking
up moments time to consider. In tho
aggregate fool bills. freak bills and need
less bills probably waste one-half the time
OF the General Assembly. Such rubbish
need never leave the commttee-room and
most of it never would under time-lirnit-
ed Legislature.
AS to sef-government the Legislature
that will courageously place It's daily cal
endar in the hands of the speaker and a
committee Of veteran members and then
consider nothing not formally entered on
that calendar will accomplish more and
cut It's overhead cost in a fashion that
will seem startling in the light of the
latest $4,000 session. With two-thirds
vote safeguard, by which a member might
call out his bill at any time, this rule
would enable the absolutely necessary
legislation to be advanced, and the need
less and inconsequential would be post
poned sine die on the last night of the
session.
Such a Legislature would listen with
slight patience to the special interest
booster and could give little time to fire.
works. 1t would meet do what could be
done in co days and adjourn. 1t would
cost less. do more and appropriate less
money than the endessly attenuated ses-
sion that drifts along amlessly and fnal-
: ~ has to be sent home"
The budget comes logically into such a
system, and departmental efficiency would
be apt to follow legislative business meth
DDS. The whole system of State govern-
ment would take on an atmosphere of ac-
complshment and there would be mighty
little excuse for the political appointee
, who could not make good on efficiency
, lines.
Reform at the source would bring re-
form clear down the line and the member
: who participated In such a whirlwind ses-
sion as the time-limit would insure would
be such a specially trained expert that a
second or third term should follow In
, natural consequence. Consider, then,
these three things:
A session limited to ca days.
, A calendar committee.
a budget based on the States natural
revenue.
These require no constitutional changes.
, They can be accomplished by any Legls-
lature that really means business.