Evening capital news., 1917-01-08
MORGAN
C|VESJONESPLAN
HEARTY APPROVAL
Member of Supreme Court
Declares Legislative Sys-
tenn of State Is in Dire
Need Of Revision.

Justice William NJ. Morgan of the
supreme court does not believe that
the legislative system under which
this state, and many others are oper-
ating under, has advanced any farther
than in the days of oX-cart or the early
colonial assemblies and for that rea-
son he heartily approves the sentiment
expressed in the communication pub
lishcd in the Capital News Sunday
from T. j. Jones of Boundary county,
member of the house of representa-
tives of the Idaho legislature when Jus
tice Morgan was the floor leader He
considers the communication OF such
| Importance that he suggests it be pub
lished in pamphlet form and sent
broadcast over the state.
FAvORS ONE HOUSE PLAN.
Justice Morgan has some advanced
ideas with regard to the legislative
system and how it should be reorgan-
/ lied. lie believes in the one house
plan limited to a maximum If possible
Of 10 members employed at com
petent salary to devote most of their
time to legislative matters. who shall
be elected from three districts, five to
each. district, formed out Of the north
ern, southwestern and southeastern
sections of the state respectively; their
terms alternating SO that two-thirds Of
he oN members will also be members
and each member to term of six
years. OF these 10 members he would
assign those who are lawyers to reyis-
Ing and codification of the laws so
that they would become experts in that
line Of work while others could be as
signed to taxation and the numerous
other state problems that require the
closest study and which cannot be met
and properly handled at a legislative
session of 60 days.
APPROVES JONES ARTICLE.
Regarding the Jones article Justice
Morgan said today:
''Fhe article in yesterdays Capitr
News, written by Hon. T. j. Jones, de-
scriptiVe of oar present legislative sys-
TEN, should be read and considered by.
every citizen Of Idaho
The legislature constitutes the most
important and least efficient branch of
our state government. Most important
because it enacts the laws we are re-
quired to obey; least efficient because
of the system under which It opcrat es
whereby it is expected to discharge
enormous burden of public duty in so
brief a period Of time that n proper
consideration of the matters coming be-
fore il is rendered impossible.
Il was member of the session of
the legislature which Mr.. Jones de-
scribes in his article and can testify
that he has not overdrawn the picture
nor overstated the confusion midst,
which the laws, given to the state ty
the Eleventh session We're enacted.
Furthermore, that session was typical
of legislatures generally and was bet
ter. rather than worse, than the aver
age.
JONES NOT ALONE.
Mr.. Jones was not alone in his con-
fusion. 1t was his first session, but
those of us who came to 1t with legis-
lative experience were also bewildered
by the mass of business undertaken In
the brief period of so days allotted for
its consideration.
THE citizens OF this state and ifs
newspapers indulge in much criticism
of the legislature and this has gone 20
the extent that now it is exceedingly
difficult, in some of the counties, u
procure suitable men who are willing
to sacrifice their time to the public
duty of law making. In view of the
fact that they are also certain TO there-
by call down upon themselves nnmcrt-
ed rebuke and be branded as crooked or
incompetent, or both. While legislation
should be criticised, and much of II
condemned, the responsibility should he
placed where 1t belongs, upon the sys-
tenn and not upon the legislators in1i-
vidnally.
SEND ARTICLE BROADCAST.
MIR. Jones. The author of the article
under consideration, is one of Idaho's
most progressive and capable farmers.
who has a good brain and who makes
good use of il. One session of the leg
islature cured him of legislative amoi-