Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1915-03-11
WHY THE LEGISLATIVE FUNCTION HAS BROKEN
DOWN

The breakdown of the state legislative system has never
been evident has been this taking the states of
Washington and Idaho types, while the results that to
be coming from practically all of them tell the tale Wash
ngon, however, to be- getting along better than
Idaho because better organized doubtless through the
razed power residing the large ces STILL the congestion
and the chaos there practically bad in Idaho Early
the Idaho session The Tribune took occasion that
this years assembly seemed to be much better along with the
work than customary and to have strong and
capable legislators than had been known there of recent
In spite of its good start however the result is the in the
closing days. with most of the constructive and remedial
unattended to- and attended to at all in the last hours
must be in crude unsatisfactory unavoidable fashion
The Tribune has reference to any disappointment it
may have in the failure OF policies which has general
teres Of appropriations other benefits of local mpo
lance The failure here referred to not what outsiders
may have wanted the legislature to do but what the egsa
ture itself wanted do but has been unable for
which need explanation The think basic and is
the fault of the legislature ALL faulty bodies
stued must necessarily be- For thing four hun
ded bills have had be considered by this body nca
at the outset the great vaey projects and dvegences
of mind running through the legislature Most of the
bers have their hearts set two three favore pro-
positions and the rest them only remotely negative
1t not always easy get the committees together Most
the members they form friendship social
tons in the capital city, and time passes swiftly They
md about taking positions for against the avore schemes
of Others and procrasnaton offers ready escape from r
responsibility not in nvdous but in the
that applies to pretty when confronted with
dsagreeabe alternatives In another the session
thus frered away and would be substantially the
if the longer Most of these bills are bills upon
/
would not be in generation.
Upon such subjects to vote the procedure is
cumbersome and involved The committee of the originating
house must make report the bill, when it goes upon
the general calendar In due the house into
mttee OF the whole for discussing the this be-
taken because the proceedings there informal and not
put record Any desired changes made there
y not at ALL If favoraby reported out the bill again goes
the calendar and is read and voted three separate
days. finally being passed defeated The bill then goes to
the second house, where the process repeated Some
times the bill is lost final VOTE when all this work and time
for nothing 1t will easily be that not may bills be
put through this routine especially when there opposition
and fbusterng Experienced leaders navigate
through the labyrinth when they want to do lose
them in the labyrinth they choose Experienced leaders
however, and most of the members help
less parliamentary practice at the end at the beginning
i The legislative breakdown is not new, but is pro-
nounced of for the that the desire
late myrad subjects has apace and because
these bodies have constantly increased numerically and become
more unwiedy These bodies however, unable to
cognize their intrinsic weakness and nefficiency al
though alert far too alert discern the faults and mistakes of
others They take steps the maady that is fast
deminng the body polite by unwise and lax lawmakng but
continually busy themselves with the external symptoms
and the outgrowhs of this organic arrangement The evil is
quite certain to the country grows unless the people
realize in time the imperative necessity of placing the law
ing capable and distinctive basis than it
occupes.-Lewston Tribune
! THE PASSING OF THE 63rd CONGRESS-