The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1915-02-04
\ CHANGE OF POLICY.

In completing the organization Of
the next session Of the legislature out
side Of the election Of certain officers.
which Is provided for under the con-
Stitution. and in which there can he
no departure as TO policy and prece-
dent, there are some changes that
should Ice made i'm policy aud which
are material both from an economical
standpoint and from the standpoint of
rendering the best service to the pub.
lie.
In the first place. the employment
of journal clerk In both branches Of
the legislature should be dispensed
WITH and the printing of thousands
If copies II the journals Of each house
for distribution pro rata to the mem
hers to hc sent out 10y the journal
clerks to such names Of constituents as
are given them 10y the members should
be- dispensed with as an inadequate,
expensive and bOthcrSome NUISANCE.
or course the journal for the rouse
and senate viii have 10 be piiu5rd, hut
only sufficient number should be
printed To- serve the members OF the
respective branches and such adIi-
tiunal copies H. would he necessary To
meet the demand when called for. and
II Is not at all probable that there
would prove To- Ice great many calls
for Journals during the session.
Then Instead of journal clerks AMI
the printing uf u SupcTiluOuS number
Of journals a~ has been the custom.
press reporters for both the house
and the senate should he appointed to
make Il full and complete press re-
port Of the proceedings Of each house.
\ committee should be appointed in
either branch of the legislature to pass
upon these official reports 50 that they
may be acucrute and reliable i'm every
sense. These reports should he FUR
ni>hcd free To- the press Of the state.
At the previous sessions of the leg.
l>luture Of thi- state the press service
has not been satisfactory to either the
members Of the legislature or To the
people Of the state. The fault may
have been IN the newspapers of the
stat" that have reporters on the ground
"r the fault may have been with the
reporters. or likely there has Previous
~ existed discrepancies I'm the correct.
ness Of the acts Of each.
An official reporter for the house
uud another for the senate would re-.
| llrNc situation that has become glIpy.
Gus indeed. furnishing as it would. ne.
curatc, detailed Information To the
people of the state I'm a readable form
If the daily proceedings " the Leg.
i~laturc. What constituent has apprr.
ciatcd the Journals If each branch of
the legislature. and besides when the
house journal is received and the sen.
ate journal l. not. where are they ar
II they have the good fortune TO re-.
relve them both promptly. where are
| they still:
Press reporters for the house and
the senate viii save Il great deal Of
money In the cost Of service NOT only
| mat hut the proper publicity will bc
given To the Legislative proceedings so
that the people ~ the state as n whole
may lie advised as tn what is going nm
III their Legislative halls. One citizen
mas as much right as any other cIti.
zen to fun knowledge Of all OF tbo
proceedings, Why deal out n few iour.
nails to the few, and leave the many
To ponder over what is being done?