The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1940-02-08
Ira 7. Johnston Suggests
Shortening The Legislature

preventative, Ira T. Johnston, in
which he offers some timely and
worthwhile suggestions relative
to speeding up the work of the
General Assembly, and getting
through without loss of time.)
A year. or so ago, The State pub
lished an article by Hon. A.
H. Graham, a former presiding
officer of both Houses of the
North Carolina General AS
sembly, which presented logical
reasons why we may expect
lengthy Legislative sessions in
the future.
My experience as member Of
the Long Parliament" of 1881
and of the 1899 House when the
session lasted ninety days leads
me to agree with Mr.. Graham.
May state briefly from this ex-
perience what appear to me the
chief causes of long sessions?
Of course, there are honest diff
ferences of opinion on matters of
taxat i 0 n, appropriations, and
other important issues which
lead to long debate and occasion
al deadlock. No one would seek
(if he should, it would be in
vain) to remove this cause -
natural and proper in a democ-
racy. The State is doing too many
things, its interests are too vari-
ed, it's business too big for brief
consideration.
Some Important Causes
But are there any causes which
can be and ought to be removed?
! Let's list some of these:
l. The considerable (and as
things are now, necessary delay
between the election of the
Speaker and the appointment of
Committees, during which the
members meet, adjourn, and
mark time.
z. The Friday-to- Monday-night
adjournments which take the
members out Of legislative ac-
tivity almost half the time until
the grand rush near the finish
3. The tendency of members to
give little thought and attention
to important measures or to loo
al legislation for the first thirty
or forty days, delaying their. pre-
paratlon and introduction of
bills.
4. The mass of local legislation
near the end when each trip
home brings back as large batch
OF bills as members and their con-
stltuehts can think up - and the
longer it lasts, the more prolific
their thoughts-and bills.
! 5. The lack CT understanding
information and coordination on
matters OF revenue and appropri-
atoms.
There are others - but these
will suffice.
Honest efforts have been made
to eliminate some of them: for
example, the amendment to limit
local and private legislation; the
plan to have budget commits
sion and the very valuable work
OF that commissions; the effort of
presiding officers and committee
chalrmen to promote efficiency
and to speed up legislation; and
the forward step taken in 1899 to
write a permanent Revenue Act
and School Machinery Act, sub
ect hereafter to amendment
Here are some suggestions
which may or may not have
value. do not presume to even
! advocate them; but I present
them with the hope that wiser
heads may find a solution to
avoid SO much lost legislative
motion and lessen the sacrifices
busy patroiotic men make to
serve in the General Assembly,
Let us consider them in the same
order as the causes mentioned:
L. "A two days meeting could
De held in December, or even the
! first of January, for the caucus
and the election of the Speaker.
and then adjournment taken until
the Committees are named This
would save the members several
do-nothing days in Raleigh and
relieve tremendous pressure I'D
on the Speaker. Libby Ward told
me ne worked all nigh for
several nights to get his COM
mittees in shape.
z. The members who live near
raleigh naturally want to get
back home and have two or three
days with their families and their
businesses each week. This is not
possible for the members who
i've considerable distances awav
and they spend many lonely. ex-
penslve Week-ends in Raleigh. I
believe all the members - I'M
selfish, patriotic men that thew