Weekly Trinity journal., 1876-02-12
SPECIAL LEGESLATEON.

The Statutes Of IS7l-2 contain over one
pages, and this in addition to
the four Codes, Civil, Political, Penal
and Civil Procedure. The Statutes OF
1884 also contain over one thousand
pages, in addition to a volume Of
Amendments to the Codes " which con-
tains SEQ pages more. In former sessions
of the Legislature the laws enacted, Civil,
Criminal. Political and otherwise, were .
comprised within volumes Of from $50 to
800 pages for each session. If we ask
the reason Of these ponderous tones 1t
can be found in a few words. 1t can be
found in the Especial Legislation, which
cumbers the Statutes, necessitating the
issue of volume every two years, nearly
as large as the United States States Stat
utes at large. Special Legislation Is not
looked upon with favor by any Legisla-
tive body, yet during cach session,
great deal manages to slip through.
Where the special legislation affects the
state Mt large it is more guarded against,
but where it affects only some local mat
ter Difference to the wishes Of the repre-
scntatiyes Of the locality to be affected is
shown, and the opposition to it Is not
made manifest to effect its defeat.
1t would seem that one class Of laws
should be sufficient for the incorporation
Of any town or city, but appears that each
must have a special act, creating special
privileges. Aud it would further seem
that what is necessary powers TO Board
of Supervisors in one county should apply
equally to all the counties, and that the
general law which defines the powers and
duties of these bodies, had ought to be
broad enough to meet any eXigcncies
which might arise. And such should be
| the case whether it be 50 or not then our
/ Statutes would not be numbered with
! laws granting special powers in one county
which cannot be exercised in another.
! The worst Of the evil complained Of lies
in the fact that the Legislature does not
take the time to properly consider matters
Of such apparently trivial, bat in reality
grave character There are many OF
them which, being referred to the local
delegations and reported on favorablyare
hurried through in the last days OF the
session, read only BY title, and the re-
sponsibility Of their defeat shifted from
| the shoulders Of the Legislature TO that
of the Governor. More than one half Of
the volume OF Statutes Of 1873 i, as shown
by the date Of approval. became laws by
receiving the Governors signature within
the last ten days OF TIE session. That
the Governor should have time and OPP
portunity TO give to each measure pro-
posed for his sanction the careful con,id-
Grafton requisite, is simply impossible.
The crude mass OF laws are sent up with
out having been exposed to Legislative
amendment and, Represented as being
important to the community by those
who are presumably acting in the inter
ct of the people they arc there to repre-
sent. The caprice Of some county official
or the disappointment Of some would-be
tunctionary is made the starting point fOr
a change in existing laws and amendment
is piled upon amendment until it is n hare
matter to tell what the law really is, il
the mass Of Statutes extending over
mum Der Of years. So far as county gov
crnments are concerned, it is not gooC
policy to have some governed by th'
general laws Of the State and others cX
empted in some particulars. What i
good Tor one county should be good 70
all others, and if change and amendmen
is necessary in one case it would seem tl
apply with equal force in other cases
For number Of years the people have
complained Of the evils Of special legi,la
ton and one Of the objects sought to be
obtained by codifying the laws was t
. meet each kind Of the legislation know
as special, by a section OF the Codes whic
would be suitable to the case itself an
all others Of the same urgencics and char
q acteristics. The Codes themselves ar
tie legitimate subjects for amendmen
until whateyer is found to be faulty
wholly eliminated from them. But
long as any desired change is deemed O
sufficient Importance to justify Legislation
at all, it should be made general, and no
! confined to any one locality. Special leg
islation has been one Of the banes Of tn
: State, and a due regard to.her interest
y should restrain Legislators from sanction
. ing it by either their votes, or by silel
r. acquiescence.
Erzzzasa4 =-u..@s-s-