Evening journal., 1915-03-05
KILL WHARTON BILL
TO chance Sessions
Under Measure Legislature
Would Have Met Every
Four Years
CANE WITHIN ONE
VOTE OF PASSAGE

Special to THE EVENIEG JOURNAL.
STATE HOUSE, DOVER, March 5.
The Senate early this afternoon
killed Senator Wharton's bill to
amend the State Constitution by
providing that the General Assembly
shall meet every four years, instead
of every two years as at present, and
providing that members of the House
of Representatives shall be elected
for four years instead of two year
terms. The vote was IL yeas to
nays 1t required a two-thirds vote
(12 vOtes) and failed of passage by
one vote. This indicates the grow
ing sentiment for less frequent legis-
lative sessions.
Senators Wharton. Gormley. Hick-
man, Carter and Furniss advocated
its passage in speeches.
Senator Wharton said the bill was
an economical and not a political
measure, and he believed 1t was de-
manded by the best people Of the
State.
II have had offers from a number Of
prominent people TO appear here and
speak for this bill, he declared, "and
also had offers of petitions on its
behalf. But ! refused them because
/ did not want it talked to death as
have been several other bills that
have appeared before this body"
He pointed out that each session
of the General Assembly costs the
State $4,000 which would be saved
quadrennially and he also declared
that the people of the State want
time to get acquainted with laws they
are living under before others are
passed. He stated that an amend
ment had been considered which
would provide that the Senators
should be elected for two terms, OF
eight years, but it vas believed that
II would be unwise to enact it into
law. He added that the bill will have
to be approved by the next Legisla-
ture before it could become a law
He pointed out he will be a member
/ of that session, and declared that II
meanwhile the people of the State
protest strongly against the bill he
/ would be the first TO oppose its pas
sage at that session.
Senator Gormley asserted that in
! his opinion, based on his membership
in three sessions of the Legislature
ninety per cent of the Legislation
proposed at each session is unwar'
ranted and of a largely selfish nature
to permit. some people to get some
thing that does not belong to then
under the sanction of the law. III
said that If il were not for apprOpria
ton bills it would be a good plan tC
hold sessions every. eight years.
Senator Carter stated that prior I
each session Of the Legislature there
always lot of talk about economy, an
he said that the vote on the bill woul
reveal whether this talk was sincere o
merely "hot air" If it is the intentio
of the members really TO practice econ
Omy, he said it was an excellent chanc
for them to prove IT,
Senator Hickman said he wa
heartily i'm accord with what had beel
said, and declared that while this wa
his first experience in the Legislature
he was ready to believe that all tn
bills of real benefit to the State coul'
be passed in two weeks instead o
sixty days.
Senator Furniss said he favored tn
bill but would rather vote for one 4
.
stead of every four years. He sal
many members who came to the Leg
islature preached economy but prac
ticed extravaganza. The vote was a
follows.
Yeas -- Barnard, Carter, Furnisi
Gormley, Harris, Hickman, Fraziel
Joseph. Mitchell Wharton and WI
liams-11
-Hoffecker, Newton, Web
and Walker.
Absent - Anderson and HaI
b (paired.l
! After the vote was announced Sent
tor Furniss asked to have his yoi
changed to NO" for reconsideration
but the chair ruled he was too lat
Senator Wharton then remarked thi
he did not desire to change his vol
to mo- saying he was satisfied wit
the result