The Grange advance., 1873-12-10
For the Grange Advance.
Lawyers and Lawmakers.

Lawyers and Law Makers.
There is no doubt that there will be
Farmers and Mechanics enough in our
coming Legislature to control the action
of that body, and while the producing
classes are making strenuous efforts for
reform in matters directly pertaining
to their interests, such as transportation
and direct communication with their
manufacturers, they should not over
look another question which is almost
as vital as the above [ refer to the
laws Of our State. All laws are made
tor the government Of the unlearned as
we'll as the learned, for the farmer as
we'll as the lawyer, for the mechanic as
we'll as the merchant, for the artizan
as we'll as the priest, and all are alike
interested in the making and execution
Of all laws, hence the necessity of hav-
ing our laws 50 framed and worded
that all can understand and comprehend
their effect and force; why the necessi-
ty Of so much repetition ? so much com.
plication, so much that nobody under
stands? Take the statutes of Minneso-
ia to-day, and you will find but few
who agree as to their meaning. You
will scarcely find two lawyers in the
State defining or constituting any law the
same; the courts are often at loss to
determine questions Of law submitted
to them, and in the course Of every
term Of court you will hear something
like the following: The Court thinks,
or is Of the opinion that the Legislature
intended" &c., &c.; hardly two Judges
agreeing as touching the same inten-
tions. Now, Mr.. Editor, you being a
lawyer, can you tell me the necessity of
this
Litigation is one Of the great curses
that is cursing our land, and the tax
correctly shown that it imposes upon
the entire community would startle all
who could see it; very large proper
tion of the cases on Court Calendars
would cease to appear if our laws we're
more simple, if they were written for
the masses instead of the few, and half
Of the few though skilled in the law -
could not give concise and clear state
ment of its meaning.
1t is clearly the duty Of the Legisla-
ture to simplify all laws, let cause and
penalty be so stated that at least C a
wayfaring man " can interpret and un-
derstand; and for one 1 hope that we
may in the future have common sense
ingrafted in all laws instead of legal
bubbles. The dark frown Of" Monop-
oly" gathers about it; any law that you
cannot understand bodies no good to
the masses. We would be a law abid-
ing people could we know the law; ;
let the farmers and producers who are
members Of our Legislature see to it
that no law is passed this coming ses-
sion that they do not understand or
comprehend. UNCLE Tom.
We fear that we cannot satisfactorily
answer our correspondents question.
Can he tell US how it is that hardly any
two men understand the Bible alike ::
Now, if it is impossible for US to read
and understand the divinely inspired
law alike, much less shall we expect to
agree upon the terms of human law.
II man were perfect in judgment, so
that he need not err, and also perfect
In heart so that he would have no de-
sire ; to err, we might expect perfectly
formed laws, but the trouble is that if
we had reached such degree Of perfec.