The Placer herald., 1874-01-17
SACRAMENTO CORRESPONDENCE.
[FRoM our SPECIAL CORES PoNDENT.
SACRAMENTO, Jan. IA, 1874.

SACRAMENTO, Jan. IA, 1874
Ed. HERALD:--
During the past week an unusual amount of
legislation has been introduced, and very fair
portion consumated On their return, all
seemed desirous to have something to do and
something to say 1t seems to me that usless
bills are often presented for the consideration
Of our Legislative bodies, just to enable Repre-
sentatives to point to their activity, when often
their own reputation and the good of the country
would be better subserved by silence and mas
terly inactivity. You cannot convince the most
of the persons elected to Legislative bodies
that such is the case; but before this commu-
ncation is concluded I think you will agree
with me that this fact is established. And in
proof of this position, l would refer your
readers to an act "To define the mode of
ELECTING MEMBERS
of the Assembly, and of representatives of
electors therein Sec. 2. Members of the
Assembly must be elected at large" Sec g.
can elector shall have one vote and shall vote
for but one person for member of the Assem-
bly," The bill provides that after 80 members
are thus elected at large, (Sec. 12) "each eector
must elect one of the members of the Assembly,
his representative rira uOce." Sec. 20. Each
m cmber of the Assembly shall be entitled to
one vote, for each elector that he represents, on
tue patSSiRe OF tnlIu re8ulnH OF
Sec. Il. Representatives must be subject to
the instructions of the electors they represent"
The act is made to take effect aft er the amend
ment of the State Constitution. 1t matters not
where the eector lives, so he be citizen he can
vote for any person who is citizen of the
State. A person in Siskiyou can vote for an
Assemblyman in San Diego. After the so are
elected then comes an election to choose who
will represent each person of the State. A pop
ular man may have twenty thousand constituents
and they may differ, but he is bound to vote for
each one; for, according to the BILL he would
have twenty thousand votes, and to vote as each
one irstructs on the final passage of the bill.
Seriously, it is the most complex piece OF Leg
islatiye nonsense ever read,
TAX ON LEGISLATION.
Mr.. Laine introduced an act ''To impose tax
on local and special legislation in the State of
California" " parts of which are good, and some
other provisions would be oppressive 1t taxes
every enactment incorporating any bank, from
two hundred to two thousand dollars; every act
| incorporating any iron, coal, manufacturing
warehousing or oil company, two hundred dol
laIs, and longer than twenty years, double the
| amounts local express, transfer, ferry, improve
ment, navigation, land, bridge irrigation ditch,
| canal, hfty dollars; every act for the erection of
new county, or municipal corporation, or
the charter of municipal corporation, one
thousand dollars. For private acts relating to
churches, colleges, schools libraries, pensions,
gratulties, cemeteries, agricultural societies,
hospitable or other charitable societies, or be-
nevolent institutions, forty dollars. Here are
two bills illustrative of the fact that men cannot
be quiet, even at the risk of becoming ridic-
ulous. ..H
COoLIE LABOR.
Mr.. Roach, of the Senate, and Hill, OF
Assembly, have each introduced preamble and
resolutions, memorializing Congress to prevent
| the immigration of Chinese Coolie labor and
| Chinese people. They show how certainly this