Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-04-08

LEGISLATIVE SYSTEMS AND PROGRESS IN LAwMAKINt
The work the Legislature of 1916 has been fully
summarized our columns. In the light of present
perience further in legislative methods desr
able and feasible and what changes will facilitate the
improvement to which progressive commonwealth
system of representation the best that be
devised? Is Legislature too large? Are legislative
sessions rightly distributed In what ways legislative
mistakes be better guarded aganst These of the
questions which discuss Understandings while the
work Of present lawmakers is still fresh in mind
The of the General Assembly just closed like it's
predecessors has again indicated the town system of
senaton This has been called by hostile critics representa-
ton by the the mile argument in favor
of district representation based population glance
at the attitude of representatives important that
considered by the present Legislature will show that in
connection with the referendum the liquor question the
representatives of the small towns in harmony
with the sentiment of the people of the State whole than
the representatives from the Cities and the thing will
be found true in connection with other important
with the increase of radcalism in the larger centers
Closely akin to this question of system of representation
is that regarding the size of Legislature That there
safety in numbers repeatedly demonstrated during
the recent legislative session in Others the Senate being
regarded the most vulnerable point of attack by inter-
est which sought either to block popular to
mote the granting of special privilege.
The weakness growing out Of the custom of passing
election to the Legislature around in the towns has been
counteracted marked degree by the creation of the office
Of of bills The work of these two officers Messrs
Cneney Graves, helped shorten session.
and with the experience of the session of 1915 basis
their services will be still helpful in the direction of
economy and efficiency in the future.
While the influence of the revsers has been hedged
about should be- it is still possible for not wholly
loyal to the interests of the people and the commonwealth
whole to "serve two masters" in almost other
postion and the utmost should always be exercised in
keeping in these positions loyal the present
incumbents.
Biennial legislative sessions are commencing themselves
States
Only State in the Union has less frequent sessions than
ours Aabamas Legislature meeting in four years.
Only six States have annual sessions Georgia. Maryland
Massachusetts, New jersey New York and South Carolina
and most of these States repeatedly agtng change
to the biennial plan.
There legislative custom, which opens the door to
large proportion of the Objectionable careless legislation
that bots the record of practically legislature and
that the holding of important bills until the last moment
tibet heory the small boy that he squeeze
with the crowd unnOticed.
Manfestly there something wrong when after the
Legislature had been session three months the
midnight hours of the closing sitting should focng into
the House bills making raid the States permanent
school fund.- looking to the surrender of Vermons store Of
white coal to outsiders and the bonding of the State for
storage reservoirs for their benefit and the emascuatng of
the report in favor of smpfed judicial procedure greater
economy in courts and speedy justice we'll
Others
The lieutenant governor who presdes in the Senate and
the speaker the together with the organized
of the Houses have it largely within their power pre-
vent this evil of hasty and consdered legislation mpor
tant matters in the closing hours and they should be held
to greater accountability by the voters for failure to force
to the front important legislation earlier while yet there is
time for genuine deliberations.
For example, the DILL enbodying the recommendations of
Judges Powers Fish and Howe the commission to report
Of revised judicial procedure pledged the State
republican platform but wisely submitted to nonparisan
commission considered the last day of the session
and defeated In the Senate Through strenuous effort
the part of Senator Dvol and Representative Wilson in
particular the bill reconsidered in the Senate when half
dozen or sections stricken ont
The amended went back to the House after
midnight when the throwing of confetti and other
tera evidences OF jublaon filled the air. The speaker
nounced that the bill had been amended in the Senate by
striking sections five six eight eleven md what
ever they were and not dozen members turned to he,
file Of bills what had happened knew what those
sections contained but they concucd in the action of the
Senate without word of inquiry objection Yet that
farleacng revised the court and judicial procedure
of Vermont.