Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 March 1885 — The Legislative Body. [ARTICLE]

The Legislative Body.

JlndiHuapiilia S-nifmelj The mere fact that a few newspapers are copdemniug the Legislature for not having brought to final consideratiou all measures before it within the sixty days allotted for the regular session, doesnot prove the Legislature as deserving such criticism. It may be said of these critics that they wpd willingly find nothing in the action of a Democratic majority to praise, and, conversely, are too ready to censure. Let it be admitted that the appropriation bill might have been considered before the end of the regular session, yet it wdW hardly have been possible for all business before the General Assembly to have been cleared up. The working majority has not been an idle one. The members have been uniformly in regular attendance and vigilant on the floors and in committees. But this has been an unusually busy session for committees. In addition to the customary committees there have been several special ones whose reports have taken up considerable time in dis-cussion-discussion that was legitimate and desirable.. But even had this impediment not been in the way of finishing business within the prescribed sixty days, the regular budget of legislation has grown so much within the last thirtythree years that it is now probably true that a longer session time is necessary and must be allowed by law before legislatures can properly dis - charge their duties within the session time. One hundred days are no more ample for legislation now than were sixty days when the latter number was assigned. Increased population, wealth, public improvements, etc., incur the need of more extended examinations and enlarged appropriations, which require more time for observing and considering. Local bills, too, and many of decided importance, are more numer us, and the faithful representative feels that he is most efficiently serving his constituents when working for their recognition and passage.

So, then, we hold that the General Assembly is not necessarily to be condemned for the failure to finish business before it and thus make needless the call for an extra session. But if blame is to be attached, surely the Republicans who voted solidly against taking up the appropriation bill within the week before adjournment were most to blame. Numerous attempts to take up this bill were defeated by the solid Republican vote, aided by a minority of the Democrats.