The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-06-03
TO CUT STATE EXPENSE

pressed q degree of CONSERVATION
when confronted b. the increase in
iho cost OF state government. which
has gone by leaps and bounds from
x1u3 segCl IN 1SSs Legislative year,
or SaIsSssfs in 1884. to Sl-iS5.sll.eS
Ia 1912 and si.fss.s6ilg1 ia 1913 ucg
islaiire yea-l. Suggestions Tor
working remedy. however. have bocs
'noro than inircqncut
Lieutenant governor Frank = Hove
places the responsibility With the
i.sopie and their demands Tor such
things as better farming propaganda.
better roads. factory Inspection.
Norkmen's compensation, public
schools. and colleges, state adFera rs.
ing and Institutions 10 care Tor the
sick. the blind and defective. he
finds the remedy la more efficiency
la The various branches OF state gov
eminent
The ST. Adams Messenger points
out the need OF a budget system. In
which a hard and fast estimate couid
be- made and Legislators pledged 10 %
Limitations. There Is much merit IN
both OF these suggestions. but neither
of them begins az the source OF The
trouble. which Is Ia the legislature
i.seE.
As the Herald views g.. the d 81 and
absolutely essential reform must
come tom the Legislature itself. a
session limited By joint resolution 20
GO DAYS will accomplish all Necessary
Legislation and the spur OF the time
limi; and accompanying salary-limit
viii make for efficiency
Cumbered by helpless and uuwiel.
dy number. the House, In particular,
loads itself up with a mass OF mostly
worthless bulls and then laboriousN
and conscient.ously plows through
them under such leadership as a
score or two OF trained members may
provide.
na'f Of these bills are not worth
taking up a moments time to consid-
cr In the aggregate. fool bills, freak
bills and needless bills p-obably
waste onohalf the time OF the eener
al assembly. Such rubbish need new
CT leave the committee room and
most Of il never would under time
limited Legislature.
As 20 scligovcrnment. the Lcgisla
iuro that viii courageousy place its
daily calender in the hands OF the
speaker and a committee OF veie an
members and then consider nothing
not formally entered on that calender
viii accomplish more and cut its over
head cost in a fashion that will seem
startling IN the light OF the latcs,
$4,000 session With a 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 needless and lnconsequcntal
would be postponed sine die on the
last night OF the session.
Such legislature would listen with
slight patience to the special interest
booster and could give little time TO
fireworks. Il would meet, do What
could be done in sixty DAYS and al
iourn Il would cost less. do more
and appropriate less money than the
ondlcssly atenuatcd session that
drifts along aimlcssly and finally has
to be sent home
The budget comes logically into
such system. and departmental Ell
cheney would be apt to follow lesislal
i've business methods. The whole
sys EN- Of state goyc nmcnt would
take on an atmosphere of accomplish
ment and there would be mighty lit
tic excuse Tor the political appointc,
who could not make good" on ellie
ioncy lines
Reform at the source would brins
reform clear down The line and tn,
member who participated in such ;
whirlwind session as the time.imit
would insu would be such spec
Tally trained cxper; that second o.
third term should follow in natura
threo things
\ session limited to 50 days.
A calender committee
a bulge based on the states natu
raj revenue.
These requi e no consti utona
changes. They can be accomplished
by any Legislature that really means
!