The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-03-04
SOME THOUGHTS ON LEGISLATION

L. has been said that royalty fades into in.
significance ia the presence of the yalet.de-
chambre, and that while Louis XIV. the
"dFand Monarquc' of France, was, when
appsreled in his royal robes, every inch king
to the popular eye, yet when disrobed, with
his jaws open and roaring in his sleep, he WAS
us sorry picture us any conmoner could be
under similar circumstances. What il true
OF the individual is equally so of tho cor
pora'e sovereignty. Hero worship and
legislation worship 60 hand in hand in this
regard. When VIC come to look in upon a
legislative body aud witness at opce the
MOVIES that SO often originate bill and
dictate its sections; the tot lack
oil information or at best the superGciali'y of
knowledge on the subGctmatler; when VIC
observe tho Influences that are so frequently
summoned iLio the service of tho mover
irrelevant to those that should alone inspire
vote; and when We see the acciden. of a
bare majority we begin 10 lose the reyeren-
l'al regard with which the lyro at distance
~ Impressed, With some minds there ap-
pears TO be an idea that there is some won
derlrl virtue in an ''cnac.mept.n some mys.
'erious p 'soncy in "law" that can generate
or evolve some condition of moral
iy or intellectually, or in other words,
That can create something out of nothing
Tho idea is deluson of the grossest species
Ihere Ia given quantity of matter and u
gwen amount of force in this world, and it
iios not in humanity TO create or diminish
either, men may alter tho shape or tho condi.
tions of the one, or direct the current of the
o'her; but beyond this their ability does not,
can never extend. And this ia true equally
OF the intellectual the moral and the physical
world. The manufacture of brain power,
tho creation of morality by Legislative jerry
manderngs, are on par with the efforts OF
tho slChemist who persists in the creating OF
tho element gold, by tho compromising OF
other things, on a par with those
of the perpetual motion dscovercr
who forever insists ON obtaining n
frctionless something out of friction
generating machinery. 1t is because of
tho Interrogation of these principles
that tho statute book of to-day
might well DO designated 'qhe record OF
guesses." H. is because of this ,hs,
tho results expected by tho unreaectng from,
legislative euac!ments are always go greatly
10 excess Of those never anticipated, that the
benefits proposed fall behind in number
of tho evils imposed. When legislation
overleaps itself and goes beyond the curron,
representative idea and sentiment, Il not only
fails to achieve Its object with even maxi.
mum Of expense, but actually does a
harm with a minimum of respeo,
from tho citizens. The intelligent and the
conscientious legislator, having these things
in mind, will not merely govern himself
accordingly, but will seek to so inform apv
influence bis constituency. When, therefore,
any important question shall come Before
him for settlement, he will seek 10 ascertain
tho true value Of II, intrinsically, tho Judi.
ciousness Of any action proposed, aud the
effect and operations of measure In oxccu.
ton. To this end he will not countenance
my prejudiccs, he will discard all fe ,lipr
and heirken to no probable clamor, bu,
will govern bis vote atlor tho manner
of an honest judge on tho bench
In this way wo elevate tho corporate in,elli
gopce and the corporate conscience tovar,
the individual Intelligence and the indiyidusl
conscience. Tho people arc always RICH. in
tho long run, aud though the passions of an
hour may blind them, tho sober second
sight will reveal tho wrong, and whom |, doe,
this will come the rsbuko for those who mia.
lsaashsm, Or who urged them on TO tho error