News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1914-04-29
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Conducted by Charles M. Gardner Editor
of the National Grange, Westfield, Mass.
AN INNOVATION IN MAINE
Master in Favor of Some FORM OF
Commission Government for
State All airs.

State Master c. S. Stetson of Maine
somewhat Jared the conservative pa
irons of his state when he came out
strongly in his annual address III
favor of some form of commission gov
eminent for managing state aHairs'
as against the present method winch
he declared inefficient, inadequate and
extravagant. While Mr. Stetsons
declarations have not been directly
taken up as part of Grange pollcy'
nevertheless the fact that he is chalr-
man of the executive committee OF
the National Grange, as well as heau
of the great Maine State Grange OF
10000 members, cannot fail to give
much weight to his utterances, from
distinctly Grange point of view
Expressing himself with intense
clearness. Mr. Stetson said:
1T has been demonstrated that the
farmer is not too busy, nor is he SO
embarrassed by his positions of trust
that he has not the time or courage
to face his share of the responsibility
in getting the right thing done. 1t
makes us proud of our kind when we
realize that a great majority OF the
people are honest, courageous and SIN
cerely anxious to serve others Whlle
advancing their own interests. or the
correctness of this estimate there can
be no doubt. 1t is our best boast and
our noblest vindication Anyone who
has observed closely legislative pro-
cedure in Maine, must be convinced
that the instrumentalities provided Tor
legislative enactments are antlquated
and inefficient In a session or ABOUT
80 days representatives are required
to study and pass upon hundreds OF
measures. The haste necessary in
procedure of this kind must neces-
sarily result in the passage of many
bills, be crude in form and without
sufficient thought or discussion, as TO
merits or justice of the measures,
Men are called from the ordinary
walks q life without previous train
ing or experience and are expected to
consider and pass upon the merits or
measures, many of which should be
given weeks of thought and study by
: men of trained minds and superior
intellect. And then, the pity OF II all
is, in two years other men are elected
to fill the places of those who, in
way. have become fitted to discharge
these duties, if custom permitted the
returning of men second time IN
der such conditions it must necessar-
ily follow that a few men dominate
and steer legislation pretty nearly to
their own liking. And when the first
DAYS of the session consist largely or
talk. little progress and no legislation,
we know the result. The rush ana
hustle to get important measures
through: the hurly-burly resulting
from closing of all business by specl-
fed time, results ia somebody's get
ting badly hurt and very few getting
justice.
The business of legislating for
state is a serious one, too serious to
be carried on by officials, each inter-
ested primarily in certain locality
rather than in the state at large, ana
especially when two-thirds of these
men are inexperienced
What is the remedy? | believe
that experience shows ~hat efficiency
goes with small numbers rather than
with large! | believe that consolida-
ton of authority works well; | be-
ueve that the business of making laws
is of too much Importance and too
serious a matter to crowd the work OF
months into the space of few days
and especially when this work is to
be performed largely by men OF IN
experience and no previous training.
'I am not particular as to details or
as TO how the men who make our laws
shall be chosen, but | do insist that
our present legislature is too large;
| is unwieldy, and too little time is al
lowed for the consideration of meas
ures presented to them for action.
And am fully convinced that much
| smaller number of men chosen from
! each congressional district would bet
| ter meet requirements and serve the
neople than does our present system
These men should be broad gauge
| from every standpoint. They should
know Maine, it's needs and require
ments. and should be elected to stay
on the Job until their work is COM
Melted Sometime this or some more
simplified form is bound to come.
Some time we shat shake off tradi-
tional hobbies. So~a time we will
stride outside the walk of party preJu-