, 1875-10-09
Ton JIUch LfgisIatiOn.

Too Much Legislation.
The legislature being now IN ses-
sion renders proper the reproduction
Of the following article in relation to
the evils that attend too much legisla-
,ion It has been said that the prodlg-
ions bulk of legislation inflicted upon
the people at each session of an Amer
lean legislature is frightfnl to contem-
rIate We have seen 4 comparison
between the results of the last session
of the Legislatures Of Great Britain
and New York respectively, by which
:, annears that at the recent sitting OF
parliament, which began February
9Th and ended August 18th, 3lo acts
were passed, of which So were public
2I5 local, and seven private. In the
session for 1874 there were, all told,
3O5 acts passed, and in 1873 about
$50.
Over against this record let us
place New York, the legislature OF
which at lie last session passed. under
the beneficient influence OF the new
constitutional Limitation on special leg
islation 10 fewer than 634 acts, or but
two less than double the annual work
Of the British Parliament. Of this
number 100 were public. In 1874
the number of acts was 653 and 1873
S71; in 1872 it was SS7, and in lS7l
it was 94G.
The result of this exhibit is to show
that it takes from two 10 three times
as many laws to govern one State Of
the American Union as it does to gov
ern the great British Empire-that Is,
in the estimation Of the lawmakers OF
this country. In all this no account
is taken of the vast amount OF Con-
gressionaI legislation, adding so I'M
mensely to the statutory fabric OF the
land.
The fact is, that two-thirds OF the
laws are passed, just as a great many
petty public positions are bestowed,
rs q sort of " reward Of merit" polit-
ical or personal, for the purpose OF
enabling friend, individual or cor
porate, of some member Uf the leglS-
latiye body to evade or circumvent IN
one particular or another the estab-
lished law.
We do not well perceive how the
evils complained of can be remedIed
under the present system. AT present
the purpose of legislatures seems TO be
mainly to foster private interests, to
take from the commonwealth to en-
rich individuals without equivalent
Under such circumstances, 1t would
be greatly to the general advantage
if we had no legislative bodies in exist
ence, since they retard prosperity, aud
intiict positive injury upon the COM
munities they are designed to protect.
II would seem, there is no hope for
the people under existing forms or
methods of legislation. The amount
of time consumed by legislative ses-
sions could be diminished one-half or
perhaps two-t thirds, if some reasonable
check were imposed upon the power
to pass private OF special laws. The
loudest wall against the evils of legis
istion is heard coming from communi-
ties where such acts are not prohibited
by the fundSmeltal law.
This suggests the only practicable
remedy for the evil. New Jersey has
Just adopted al amendment OF this
character to the constitution livery
other State should do likewise. AboI-
ish the power o pass all these bills
L" of a merely ocaI character" the
private acts, coIferring special privi-
leges or franchises upon some indiyid-
ual classes in dsrogation Of common
right.
This done, the lobby will cease to
be an integral, though a constitution
ally unrecognized, b'anch Of IegisIa-
tion the sessions will be shorter and
cheaper; business viii be despatched
with more speed, accuracy and intelli-
gence; better men, with higher mo-
tiveS, will grace our legislative halls :;
people will learn to have confidence
in the laws which operate uniformly
aud universally: and above all, the
grea. promoter of vote trading and
downright corruption and fraud will
be eliminated from the capitals; which
IS certainly a devoutIy to be wished
Tor consUmma;ion.
An ABLE JUDGE.-The newspapers on the
Sound were at first disposed 10 look with dis
favor up0u Chief Jusfics -. -. , H..