, 1879-04-14

SUSPICIOUS LEG1sLAT16N~
When tho new Constitution was adopted,
tho intention WINS TINT thereafter al] special
legislation would cease; Tint tho General
Assembly having general laws only to enact,
the sessions would bo short. II was novor
expected Tint outside the appropriations the
Number Of bills would ovor cxcood twenty,
md It waa supposed that these would ba dis
posed Of briefly, T1o cutting oil Of specIal
Legislation by tho Constitution was expected
to ro,nove atl possibilitiosof corruption, both
on tho pnrt Of members and on tho part of
those sooking spocial privileges. It was sup-
posed that the special oath Of mombcrs
against bribery, and tho prohibition Of special
legislation, would put I'M end to tho scandals
md abnsos which had disgraood legislative
bodies.
Notwithstanding MI theso safeguards nnd
projections provided BY tho Constitution, the
number Of bills proposed at this sosHfon of
tho Legislature roaohes nearly 1900. 4
metnbor disposed to be corrupt has only to
Introduce q bill threatening to destroy the
business of aomo trado or corporation, aud,
sending copy Of the bill to the persons
threatened, await negotiations for tho aup.
prcssion Of tho bill by tho author. So well
was this kind OF Legislation understood that,
whom bills were introduced In tho Senate
and House to fix and regulate tho prico Of
gas to be charged bY tho gus companies In
Chicago, tho presumption that they were
notice to tho companies to negotiate
waa oxtondec, 1t seems unwarantably, to a
surpoHition tint tho gas companies had
treated, and TINT, placing $1,000 whore it
would do tho mott good, tho gas companies
Ind obtained m assuranco that no hostile
Legislation would bo permitted.
Nobody now believes TINT tho gus COM
panies did anything Of tho kind. A1r.
GnAKuEn'a vindioation sottles that question,
but the presumption nrising from tho intro
duction Of Buch bills, particularly whom tho
bills are nevor prosecuted to passngo, ia so
strong that in this ono oaso 1t camo uoar
putting Mr GRANGER under cloud, and hQs
sont ono man to jail for simply hearing tho
suspicion. Members cannot bo too circum-
spect In tho language they uao for tislos to
their bills, lest they give 10 strangers tho im-
prcsaion TINT the introduction Of Tho bills aro
simply notices to those Interested to t como
down ITO Springfield
Mr.. GRANoRn Inns hmoelf testified to his
authorship of aevoral bills, to which wo l!avo
added goveral others not mentioned by, him.
Horo aro the titles or purport of aome of
them:
Ilouse bill :|17. for MI net 10 prevent oxtoston
and regulate thu manufacture and sale of Illujnl-
mating gas, and establish reasonable rites theroior
''Ds!t 252, for m act to punish extorttons by
corporations controlling and operating sleeping
cara."
.Ilouse bill a53 for an act to amend Sec. Of
an oct so!ating 10 life insurance"
"1lonss bill 254, for an act requiring telegraph
companies to keep md maintnln Offices for lilo
receiving aud forwarding Of nerssEes by Telegraph
"a bill abal.ah!ng tho sb. 700 Limitation for
danlsgcs for pursons kiltcl on raf'roads.''
A bill for tho protection Of raiirpad emp1oycs." I"
IA bill 10 amend the Warehouse act, by regu.
1hting tho rates OF storage
"a bill regulating tho keeping Of aceounts by
banks doing buainsss In this State, atc."
These woro n portion of h1r. GnANoEn,s
work, showing how careless Le was In the
titlos 10 soma Of his bills. IIo, however, WIS
not alono III this 1aatter. 1lerearosomeo othor
bills introduced III thp Legislature,
1sy Ms. D,shxE--"A bill so!nsing 10 lupoNts to
be ,nado oy foreign Insurance. con'psn!es."
liz 3!r. DAy--"A hill 10 nmand the Law goyorn-
Ing insurance companies doing business In Ill
no!s."
ny NJ, Fnsw-"se.ssal bills on tho subject OF
insurance.
NY Ms. sEsroS-"A b!ll TOR tbs regulation Of
rawutrokcsa.".
~ als. Et.torr-''A bill to regulate cha.sos in
tho Btock- Yards"
ny Nj. Nop,aos, Of Fulton-"A bill to rcau.
Iata md nx The rites Of passenger farcs mt, satca
Of freight per carload upon railroads tn tho S!ate
Of Illinois"
Hy Mr. DAr-"A bill relating to the listing and
assessment of tho capital stock Of ra,l1oad cor
purhtions."
Iy Ms. MEnnlTr-"A bin providing for the ya1-
nation OF the capital stock Of railroad corpora
iicns on tlIa basls Of nst annua! rccuipts."
Hy Bit. MEnnlgT--"A bill to define aud limit
what ltfe.iusurance eo'npauEes maY carry on busi.
ness In tt!s State"
By BIT. cAlLos-"A bllt for thu better protcc.
ton oi tho citzons Of tbs State In thcIs dealings
with insurance conpamles."
uy M., Bou7uwoATu-'tA blu to rceu,ate tho
fosfstuses Of policies Of lito insurance"
l.y Senator dkoHos WulTx-"A bl!! to regulate
charges on palace and sleeping cars"
Dy Mr. NlppLs-.''A blll 10 tegulats ths man.
agomeut nf atock.yAnts."
ny Mr.. NrEcx--"A bill to prevent cxtortioo,
eto., In stock. .yartla.'
This must suffice for today. Wo may
continue tho list Of bills on these and other
subjects. The ordinary reader, not famlliar
with tho personal and general purity OF tho
Legislature, would understand the titles Of
souas Of Those bills to convey notice that
somebody had bottos attend to some buainoss
At Springfield.
0utot tho 1900 biila before the Legts]a-
turs, II ~ not probable that, except the ap-
preparation bills. twenty will become lawa