, 1874-03-30
Railroad Observation-Disclosures Of
the Statutes---The Rev
enue Law.
appropriations to thu Amount Of $685.
2Ss-Whitewahing The Print
ing Frauds.
A Full List Of Bills Passed.

l879. Tho aoasion last until May Q, or 118 days
and was continued this year, beginning Jan.
and ending next Tuesday, March 81, or 85 days
making q total Of 203 days. At 81, sou day.
the average cost Of tho Legislature while in Res
Hion,-thc total cost to tho State is S904, 500. al
tho first session there wero introduced 1,034
bills, ,-435 in the Sonato aud $50 in tho House
OF these, 116-59 OF those introduced In
The senato, and &c Of those iu.
troduoed in tho House-woro onactod into
laws, and ono bill waa vetoed. During the
second soss1on, thoro woro introduced 181 bllla
In tho Senate, and 252 in the House, being a
<otal Of 435 in both Houses ,-mnkug tho totnl
number Of bills introduced in the Senate during
*ho two sessions, 610; in the House, 1907; and
jim tho two Houses, 2,16s. During the second
eesa,on, SO Houso and "A Senate bills whre
passed, making o total Of 14s, Of which two were
vetood. leaving 141, including emergency bills,
PAS tho not rosult Of tho session. A few aro yot
in tho hands Of tho Governor, and he will proba
Ibly sign them, as he rarely vetoes. Adding 118
passed at the first asssion, aud daducting three
vetoed the total number Of 1aws passed by tho
present Assembly ie 255; aud tho people may DO
thankful it is not twice rs many.
J The frat session was ramarkable--ifi It wns to-
markablc for anything basidos AppropriatiuR
monoy-for passing
TIE RAILROAD Law
now in force. That law provided that tho Rail
Fuad Commissioners should prepare schedules
p1 reasonable muxlnluIn rates for freight aud
passengers On each road iu tho State and, when
kho session adjourned 1t was with the UNDER
tetandipg that Home action should bo taken ut
tho adjourned session to enact these schedules
anto laW. Ihat WhH the prctext for the ad.
.1ourncd session, being the most plausible ex-
,acusc that could DO offered to tho public for
holding q session that WAS not absolutely
necossary, and at which not a single law
waa Passed pa., TINT could not have hoen done with
portant character. It WAS concludod-aud no
doubtj wiBely-that tho enacting Of the schedules
into law, go as to make them abaoiute rates.
would destroy. their lexibility. aud annul any
chAngoB that the hailroad Commissioners might
deem it advisable to mako to moot the varying
circumstances Of each road. Tho schedules Wero
lot aloue, except that they wero indorscl by the
passago Of INV providing TINT any modification
hereafter mado by tho Commissioners should bo
legal. It il vol known that the roads have
ignored the schedule; and 1t in not likely
they will obey modified schedules unlesa it suita
thom, or the courts compel them. There WIS an
aversion to touching tho low in any way until it's
efficacy WAS tested IN tho courts. Petitions ro-
sluosting modification OF tho third Boctiou,
Which prevents competition, Were numerous
enough; but they had no more offect On tho
Legislature than water on ducks baok. They
showed, however. that tho law does not give
universal satlsfaction and that thero is growing
hostility to it. which may result next year In the
nasBage Of law less obnoxious to a large por-
ton; tion Of tho community, whose COM
Isasuto IL entitled to At least respectful con-
sldoration. The revised quo warfanto bill, which
enforceB the common law agafnst railroads
who're they arc guilty Of extortion or unjust dis
crinainatiou, will probably be fonnd more
effective than the existing law, and il Is much
mora eimple.
THE RAILROAD POLICE BILL.
which was boquoathcd by tho preoeding' General
Assembly, was passed.. In many of its features
it ia excessively harsh, and may oyerleap itself.
Some spiteful bills introduced. d.becauHe the roads
did not givo passes failed and 90 did ono or two
othors, which could not have been drawn for any
sontimont of tho Legislature ' on the railload aS
subject was much cooler than during the first
session, and the failure to improve during tho
second session on the law passed at tho first
showed that the ability OF the Legislature on that
subject Was exhausted.
TIE REVISION.
The Assembly will havo to rely-and does rely
on the revision Of the statutes to Justify itB
adjourned session. Tho work is done,- how
yet this Legislature is not entitled
for having resised tho 0aat atatu}ea e 'tfa Ths
men who launch ahip are not deserving Of
H. Ill., sae at p praise g those who built tho craft.
tllan four yenra. md tha Taa;1 - 'ea 81 ao.o
mora thnn paBB laws nrena,a1 Ynr tham hr Got,o ~
u.iBsiopers 1,aid hv cha Eto+o Nn.l; - si, eoi,
ho allowed tn i]ir!,;ah ,Is Io. NotuAne euou4o
rnpe of thn h,ilu roiion+. @ ~ 4nntto tuo pas
Gsnero1 Aseanah,r Ls. .upoI %ne IWenty-eghth
oisi+. ti,o,, rt1nasot5 15 put, "hon the members
too much. Many Of the revised laws aro slready
IL force All tho revision bills aubm;ttea hv ~
Committee which assisted Commissionar Z Inrd ,r1
passed, with tho excoption ~ thnsa s. Autu
Stato 3nstitntions ana 4Lov oso toint1n6 70
fho hill .Lof;sh;r a. CO. 10y "ese uoleated by
,rh;h 49,, ,;1nts t;1i ttlo o1at1 13oafd OF CharitieB
"ten o4eo Aatloo " pas8. IL IL thought that the
AeM laWa afe an Improvement On tho old onns.
nal Code IL auperinr tn that IT ans nt,n Ivy Ctnl-
ina IInion ~ Aas ~ any otnef sthte In