Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1872-03-07
Laws Of Iowa.

We had IN article on this subject, last
week, and We return to it again because the
lower branch Of the Iowa Legislature. in
stead ofmsnful,y repe aling the law for the
publication of the Laws Of lows,as majori-
~ Of that astute ~ body desired, agreed to
adopt a subs titute, which leaves the matter
in the han's of the Ioard Of Supervisors,
that body to designate such laws as shall
be published, and the county to foot the
bill. How absurd! Whoever heard, be-
fore. of counties paying for the publication
of the Laws of the State? The counties
have enough to do TO pay for publishing
Proceedings Of The Board Of Supervisors.
And then why compel the counties to pub.
lish the Proceedings Of the Board. and with.
hold from the people the State Laws?
Just think how this subterfuge for decent
legislation, will work. The Board Of SUI
pervisors, in Benton county, may authorize
the publicat ion Of the laws and in Tama the
Board may refuse, and SO on throughout
the State. What nice arrangement! The
House, at Des Moines. ought to apply for a
patent forthwith. An assembly Of asses
could not have gotten up anything more
contemplate. We were glad to see that
Hon. James Wilson, Speaker Of the House,
voted against it.
Mr.. Kasson, a smooth -tongued lawyer, Of
Des Moincs, was the chief engineer Of the
miserable APOLOGY for law. It is not for
his interest 10 have the people know what
the laws are. He has been member Of
Congress, and he WAS summari.y notified
one day tina, he might remain at home, and,
thank heaven, his Congressional career
eude then. He said that ample provision
was made elsewhere for the publication Of
the laws. He meant that the law authoriz-
ed the publication Of the laws in book-form
sufficient to supply the officers Of the State
and counties, and that is all he did mean.
Evidently Mr.. Kasson don't believe in en-
tightening the dear people-it is not impor-
tant that they should know tho laws that
govern them. He is . lawyer, and he looks
1t the matter from his stand point. The
dear people eau consult an attorney aud
pay for ii.
The Law for the publication Of the Laws
of Iowa. in the newspapers, has always
been popular. All did not read them, but
very many did, aud it has been one Of the
great agencies Of education and enlight>
lnent. Aud, BE it remembered, that. al
though the law has been on the Statute
Book, several years, there has never, to our
knowledge, been petition for its repeal.
Not peep or mutter against it, except
from the shallow brains in the popular
branch Of the Legislature. and the lordly
kuaves whe made use Of them. The less
the people read and understand the laws
the better for the lawyers, and no one
knows that better than Mr.. Kasson.
But why not repeal the law for the publ
cation of the Proceedings Of the Board q
| Supervisors Is it not as important tina
the people should understand the genera
and local laws Of the State? Slips might b.
furnished the county officers, and they
would be al right.
We trust the miserable mske.shift will re
ceive it's quietus in the Senate, and believe
it will. We beg Of that honorable bod,
either to repeal the law entirely. or else le
it remain as it 10, or amend il as may b
deemed best. II the law Is amended AND
yet shalt provide for the publication Of th'
general and local laws, no one eau rcasona
! tly complain -[TAma Citizen, Feb. 20. 1877