Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-10


One would be inclined to think
that with the evidence so constantly al
forded Of the evil Of over government
that the plethora of legislation would
show some signs of diminution- fet
the journals Of Congress, State Assem-
b.ies and City Councils afford cumula-
tive testimony of the hopelessness OF
such an expectation. 1t Is rare to find
COngressmen who are not possessed
with a consuming desire to undo
what others have done IN
the way of law-making or
contribute something Of their own crea-
ton to the heap of enactments that is
piling up year by year. Descending
from Congress to the lowest grade OF
representative assemblies, the number OF
those who are proof against the spirit
of aw-giving grows smaller and smaller.
The mission of the legislator wherever
found is to tinker at existing laws, which
he Usually mars, though at times one
more skiIlful than his fellows displays
veritable genius and gives the people
suggestion, which when carried out IS OF
positive benefit. Though all are
wontedly styled SolOns, with slender
courtesy to the ancient sage, few can
Justly wear the title when measured by
their performances.
Probably, there is no little likelihood OF
the accepted system of parliamentary
law being simpliied OF Of the routine OF
legislation being contracted. Certain it
is that where the pettiest are put on
footing with the weightiest measures in
the routine that attends them, time and
money must be wasted. The stoutest
stickler for economy, who, when he
could serve the people by voting
for 6 good round sum for necessary
work, often defeats that work by his
effort to be saving, viii consume whole
days in the discussion of a measure Of
which few can see the benefit. Rare too
the are occasions when the average states
man refuses pay for the days he and his
colleagues are not employed. And where
is the stern guardian of the Treasury who
prefers to forego the delights of official
junketing for the fatigue of the commit
tee nom or the tumult Of debate 2
Tie qualifications of our average
statesmen go without saying-HObIesse
O5Iige We are a race of statesmen. The
sage De Tocqueville remarked, in ef-
feet, that every three Americans were
standing parliament-One to preside, one
to record and the third to talk. But
with all our wonderful capacities for
lsw-giving, there is a steadily growing
belief that biennial are preferable to an
nual sessions, and there are many prac-
teal people who would not mind if they
could be made decennisl.
Government is q necessary evil, and
legislation is the most familiar form in
which it manifests itself In vain we
pay commissioners for revised statutes
and codes in which we fondly trust that
au the wisdom worth preserving is en-
balmed, when 10. few brief years wit
ness fresh monuments. which in turn
are OYerlopped by the never weGrying
builders. Il was Job who sighed, "of
the making of books there is no endr
but fifty millions Of free men cry
aloud, Verify, lawmaking is everlast-
ing"
While it is true that there are legisla
tors, benefactors Of their race and pillars
of society, yet their work in the mass Of
bungrng is frequently so hidden that its
merit is not valued. Next to the drain
of taxation, itself the support of all law,
this tinkering at codes and statutes
is the sorest evil Of the time. And
the worst Of it is that any re-
lief that may be obtained is
but temporary, and however the
plague may be confined it will break
bounds. In short, there is no hope, and
this freest of nations is its selected
victim, upon which it may at times relax
its hold only to seize it in a stronger en-
brace.
Whatever prospect Of relief is held
out is purely experimental. 1t seems
fair to think that when the people re-
solve hat the Office shall seek the man
and not the man the Office the eleufants
in the problem of legislative
reform will be sufficient to effect
its solution, and with it afford measurable
relief from the bane of jObbery, of
which We have said nothing, since its
hurtfulness is recognized. Legislation
and lobbying have grown to be correla-
tives, and though the one seeks to throt-
tie the other, its seductions are potent to
save it from extinction. When legisla-
ton is brought to its rightful bounds
the lobbyist will be likely to lose his oc-
eupation.'