The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-12-30
THE LEGISLATURE

The Tennessee legislature convenes Monday, Jan. E, in BIZ
ennial session. Some of the state officials are to be elected and
some appointments are to be made, but there is no reason why
the political feature should not be disposed of within a week or
two and the remainder of the session devoted to the considera-
ton and passage OF beneficial legislation.
Gov. Roberts is taking an active interest in the preimi-
naries that usually go before the organization OF the Legislature.
He is quite right in seeing to 1t that, so far as possible, the de-
partments Of the state shall work in harmony with him.
The responsibility for rendering the people a genuine sery,
ice is upon hin, and, from what we know of the goVcrnor. 1t is
safe to say that he will not shirk any job that rests upon his
shoulders.
Gov. Roberts platform includes some very solemn pledges
and they were made with the full intention Of carrying them
out. If any one voted for Gov. Roberts on the theory that he
will be faithless to his platform, they made a gricvous and in
excusable mistake.
The principal thing the people are looking to Gov. Roberts
for is the institution OF a business government and getting the
state back on a business basis. In the platform the governor
formulated he very wisely announced that when a revenue pro-
dueing department spent more than its income, the income
should be increased or the expenditure stopped, There is sound
judgment in the suggestion.
We are looking confidently to Gov. Roberts to create some
innovations and break some presidents during his adminsra-
ton, and we are hopeful that every innovation he Institutes will
be a good one and every precedent he smashes will be a bad
one.
Very few men have gone quite so thoroughly into the at
fairs of the states finances before going into office as Gov. Rob
ers has. He knows which department is being conducted eX-
travagantly and which is serving a useful purpose
1t will not be surprising if he shall incur the animosity Of
a number of people by insisting upon the elimination Of useless
jobs and increasing the amount OF work of others, The gov
ernor will find that a good deal OF nerve is required to abolish
a job, and that opposition from unexpected sources will be en-
countered when he undertakes to do it. The people will stand
behind him, however, and if at any time there should be some
stubbcrnness or resistance not founded upon a regard for the
welfare of the state, then he will have only to turn to the people
to secure the influence necessary to carry out his program.
The administration goes into office at the beginning OF a
new era. Some changes to fit the times must be radical. There
are a lot of things that can never be as they were, and one OF
them is the former habit of sipshod government, The state is,
after all, a vast institution that needs to have its accounts bal
anced periodically, and. above all, the conduct Of its business
brought within its income. 1t is the only way a successful busl-
ness can be sustained.
There is no issue over the governors attitude on the Sub
ject of law enforcement. He has a record as a lawyer and as
a judge that suggests the uncompromising attitude he will take
in securing a proper observance of the laws.
The refreshing and reassuring indication, above all others,
is the governors disposition to accept things as they are, With
no intention of deceiving anyone as to their true state, and his
determination to correct evils wherever they may be found and
to accept full responsibility for whatever is done, His vigorous
manner of going after things leads to the belief that we shall
witness a strong and intelligent government of the states al
fairs for the next two years.