Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1924-07-26
Biennial Sessions Bill

ana fOuf-year terms Tor lover
nor and other State House off
GERS fails to pass this year, it will
be another indication Of ineffi-
cheney and mental OR moral
weakness of those who compose
the lower house Of the Georgia
Legislature.
There is no good reason why
this bill should not be passed
and the people given an oppor-
tunity to vote on it in the gen
eral election this fall, when it
comes to them for ratification
as an amendment to the State
Constitution.
The bill has passed the Sen
ate. 1t is said the Governor will
sign it; and the House Commit
tee on Constitutional Amend
ments has reported it favorably,
with but two dissenting votes.
IF the amendment is not sub
mitted now, it must wait two
years. In the meantime the peo-
pie are being taxed not less than
100000 a year for the expenses
of the Legislative session; busi-
ness and industry disturbed by
the annual sessions; and the peo-
pie worried and harassed with
too frequent elections.
We know of no argument for
annual sessions. The States
bushes can be transacted bien-
nially. AS it is, the Legislature
loiters and junkets for half the
session, while the people pay the
bill.
Of course, there are some who
enjoy vacationing in Atlanta,
lolling around the Kimball
House, looking wise and feeling
important-all at the expense
of the State. But we don need
them annually. Once in two
years is too often.
The Atlanta Constitution OBJ
serves that
Georgia needs a rest from leg
islative turmoil just as the nation
needs a rest from congress.
The biennial session will reduce
the political upheaYals, stabilize
economic activities, and operate
in many ways to help Georgia
and all her people.
There can be no excuse other
than jugglery for the failure Of
this bill at this time, and The
Constitution cannot believe that
even the professional politicians
and legislators who may oppose
it will thus attempt to thwart the
overwhelming will of the people.
this bill at this time, and he
The fight for biennial sessions
dates back beyond the memory
of any of our readers, for the
Macon Telegraph says the very
first edition printed of the Tele-
graph, on November FL, 1926,
carried the following editorial
dispatch sent by the editor from
Milledgeville, where he was OBJ
serving the actions of the Cen
eral Assembly then in session.:
The Legislature is now in SEES
sion, but gets along slowly, its
great bulk preventing anything
like celebrity of movement. All
great bodies, according to the
opinion of philosophers, require
a long time to get in motion;
and when in motion, move at a
slow rate. This is the case with
our Legislature; but several plans
for remedying this inconven-
fence have been ggested-one,
by converting it once in two
years, instead of annually; an
other by reducing the represen-
tation; and third by charging
the state house! Whether any of
these plans will be adopted, and
if adopted, whether they will
have the effect of economising
the public expenditures, is a mat
ter OF uncertainty.
For 98 years this fight has
been waged, but no Legislature
has had the courage to adopt
any measure that would bring
about the desired result, says
the Columbus Enquirer-Sun-
Notwithstanding the fact that
it has been known all the while
that it would be best for the
state to have this change.
The people want the change.
Nine out of ten, perhaps, a great
err percentage. will tell you that
once in two years is often enough
for the Legislature to meet; and
the same percentage viii also tell
you that the legislative body is
entirely too large and uuwieldly
They take the same view of the
matter as given by the editor of
The Macon Telegraph ninety
eight years agao. And, as repre-
sentatives Of the people of the
state, the legislature should no
longer delay the taking of such
action as win give them what
they wish in these matters.
So long as it requires near a