Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-01-24
AGeneraI Railroad LAW.

Complaint is annually made of the long ses-
sions of our legislature, and there is no lack of
suggestions more or less promising Of remedies
for the evil. Long legislative sessions are not
in themseles very serious evil. If the work to
be done in them is so great in amount, or so
difficult in its character that it cannot be prop
erly disposed of in less time, it is better that it
should receive the needed care aud delberation,
though it should require an eight months ses-
sion, than that it should be done hastily and
ignorantly in three months. 1t is idle to say
that all the legislation necessary, could be done
in less time than our legislature has been in the
habit Of occupying of late years, if the legisla-
tive body were more industrious, less
indulgent in listening to the specious
comments of projectors, more virtuous in re-
fusing to countenance log-rolling, and more res
dilute in adhering to line of policy which it has
once decided upon. These things may be all
very true, but our legislators are such as we
choose to represent us, and it is not known that
they have improved appreciably in capacity Or
character within the last few years. They enter
upon their duties with the same desire for short
sessions that is felt by the rest of the commu
MY AuSg uiECu W duJOuiu tull9 W tuS
governor, the presiding officers of their respec-
tive houses, and by the press, and from all these
sources they get plenty of advice as to how
this result can be attained; yet, in spite of all
these influences, they follow in the steps of their
predecessors.
Advice and exhortation are likely to do little
good in this direction. The only hope of accom-
plishing anything must lie in some policy that
will either give the legislature more capacity for
doing its work or provide it with less work to
do. The former end is sought by the PROPOSE
tons to extend the term of legislative service to
two or three years, portion Of each house to be
elected every year. This is intended to secure a
due proportion of members with two years OF
more consecutive experience, familiar with the
incomplete and attempted, as well as the per
fected legislation Of the year before; with the
character of applicants and the merits Of their
claims, SO that, as members of committees, they
can take up the work of the preceding session
without laboriously going over the whole ground
from the beginning. There is some promise in
this suggestion. 1t would require, however, a
constitutional amendment that the people would,
we imagine, refuse to ratify until they were con-
WINGED that the evil was serious and relief could
come in no other way. But we will not dis.
cuss the merits of this proposition. 1t has some
features to recommend it, but as a whole il is Of
doubtful value, and we do not soon expect to see
it adopted.
There is, however, a method, perfectly practi
cable of relieving the legislature of one branch
of business, the most complicated, laborous
exhaustive of time. and affording the most am
pie facilities for log-rolliDg and joboery of any
with which it has to deal. Each legislature il
beset with applications for railroad charters, 70
amendments of existing charters, for permission
to consolidate, to lease roads and to do variet,
of other things that might with equal safety b
provided for by carefully drawn and wisel
guarded general law. On each of thes
applications the railroad committee think
it duty to give exhaustive hearings, 81
as to obtain all the material facts, and make vi
its mind inteligently on the merits Of each case
There is often opposition, and long argument
of counsel are heard with the numerous wit
nesses they see fit to introduce The subject,
it is matter Of any importance, or one il
which members or members friends happen t.
have diverse interests, must be again laborious
ly explained and tediOusly debated in eac
house, and thus more time is often spent owe
the details of single case than would be r.
quired to settle the principles of a general Law
which would relieve the legislature at once
all special consideration Of such cases.
The draft of bill "to authorize tue form
ton of railroad corporations" submitted by II
railroad commissioners, will probably, perhal
with some notifications, be reported BY Il
railroad committee. 1t seems to have be'
drawn with skill after careful collation. Of d
legislation Of other states, and our own statute
in relation TO other business corporations.
provides that any number Of persons NOT le
than ten may associate themselves for the pr
pose Of constructing and operating railroi
by signing articles of association, designatii
the name Of the proposed road, it's termini, d
amount of its capital stock not less til,
twenty thousand dollars for each mile
road, the number of shares, &c. VIII,