St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1920-09-24

will intensity the rush. One is that
by the terms of the amendment, the
first period is limited to forty days
positive limit, not merely a limita.
ton to forty days pay, as under the
existing constitution, which permits
the Legislature to continue i'm session
without pay as long as a quorum will
remain. The other factor Is that there
will be temptation to pass many more
bills to the second period than now
, are passed as laws, on the ground that
the decision Of the first period Except
as to apprOpriationsl is not final, so
why not pass the bill along so IL can
get final action during the second
period, after the people have had more
opportunity to discuss the different
measures?
During the second period, under this
amendment, four.fifths of each house
are required I'm order to amend bill.
Much of the hastily-passed legislation
coming from the first period will re
uuire amendment There would be
flaws in II, recognized by the majority
not merely little flaws, but language
that will have effects far beyond the
real purpose Of the bills and may do
great injustice If enacted In its
original form.
Any seven senators (one-fifth plus
one of the Senate), or any thirteen
representatives, tone fifth plus one of
the HOuse), can band themselves to.
gether and veto any amendment on
any of this meritOriOus legislation,
simply by refusing to vote for amend
ments, until such time as the majority
makes terms with both the group of
seven nCrvy senators and the thirteen
ncryy representatives., thereby enabl-
ing both of those two groups to secure
any legislative concession desired by
either as It's price for not construct.
ing needed amendments of meritOrious
bills. If the majority refuses To make
terms. It either must sacrifice the
meriturious bills and face the wrath
Of It's constituents for failing TO enact
them. or must vote them through un-
amended, with possibly glaring faults.
II Is not impossible that group
as small as six, five, four, three or
even two senators, or twelve or less
members Of the house, could exercise
this tyranny OF u compact and obstruc-
tive minority II ~ not unusual that
members elected are absent, for rea.
sons Of Illness or even of death.
II there were only % senators pres.
ont when the roll was called, the
affirmative vote OF "a would still be
required, as - Is fourfifths OF thirty.
the total number OF senators elected.
Any four uf the % senators could die.
tate \ corresponding situation could
exist In the house Yet In each house,
any amendment would require not
mere majority of n quorum as ut pres
ont (nino senators or 10 representa-.
tiycs can amend under the present
system " only bare quorum is pres.
cnO. but full fourflths of all the
senators aud all the representatives,
q senators aud IS representatives.
Every artifico of the roll call dod.
ger would be- called into rcuuisltlon
when a full roll call OF "a senators
aud Is representatives would be- re-
uulrod to amend a measure.
Evidently the legislators would face
two horns OF the dilemma during the
first period. They could pass bills
rapidly iu order To avoid the last
minute rush. aud thus glut the second
session and run the pcrlls of having
10 submit to the dictatorship of little
senate machine OF seven and a little
house machine Of thirteen. or they
could give care aud time to the fran.
ing of legislation during the first
period, aud by giving care aud time
would make II certain that the end of
the first period would be- one grand
last minute rush without any possibility
of relief by protracting the period az
can be- done under the i0-dnypay limit
existing today, Either horn contains
Iu II. 4
give pause 10 people who have prop
erty or Industries ut stake that may
be affected by legislation, or To pco-
pie who are unselflshly Interested I'm
measures intended for the public veal,