Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1885-06-02
0bc Car,faster Jl,telli9c,,fer.
LANCASTER. JUNE 2, 1856.
The Way Laws are Made.

1t seems that an lnnOcent-lOOklng Dill
has already passed the state Senate, which
would have the effect of preventing the ell |
trance of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad
into Philadelphia and Pittsburg by its pro-
posed new branches. So Mr.. King, vice
president of the company, writes to the
chairman of the House committee, having
the bill in charge. He further says that
the bill passed the Senate through the igno
rance of senators as to its import he has
been assured by number of them to this
effect. Mr.. King seems to be somewhat new
to railroad enterprises in Pennsylvania, else
he would have watched the legislature
more closely so as to have been able
to inform the senator's as to the meaning
of the obnoxious bill before they passed it..
Mr.. King in assuming that the members of
the legislature vote intelligently upon the
measures proposed to them, went very wide
(, of the mark. In this case very possibly
they knew what they were doing; they
generally do when they pass the laws the
Pennsylvania railroad asks for; or at least
they understand that they are Pennsylvania
railroad laws; and that, to their apprehen-
sion, is a sufficient merit to entitle the bill
to immediate passage. Very probably the
senators who assured Mr.. King that they
did not know what the bill meant, We're not
entirely frank with him, for thestrong pre-
sumption is that they at least know that il
was in the interest of the Pennsylvania
railroad.
1t is quits-SonceEable that they did moi
gything more about it. In fact
<Ssany one who occasionally drops into thu
legislative chambers as Harrisburg canno
fail to be persuaded that the majority o
the members know very little of the law
whose passage they help, or do not at leas
resist The presiding officer and the clerl
and few of the members do the business
while the rest sit around as flock o
bewildered sheep. If it was not sickenini
it would be laughable to see how laws ar
made at Harrisburg. They ar
rushed through their second reading
especially without consideration. Th
plan used to be to read them by their title
this process of facilitating legislation
forbidden now, but the speed of legislatio
it not greatly lessened thereby, nor is tina
full consideration obtained for it which tn
amenders of the constitution sought. tn
clerk reads the bill with rapidity whic
defies the recognition of a word he is say
ing and seems to pride himself upon tn
ease with which he can thus assume til
part of fool. The speaker declares th
bill passed before anyone can say nay, an
member who desires to interpose an OF
lection needs to have a loud voice and
ready tongue to get the chair to halt in Ii
impetuous course.
Under the methods adopted to make law
for the people it is not a matter Of surpris
that so many silly ones are enacted. A bi
is never sure of intelligent and careful col
sideration. The chances are against il
having anything of the kind, if it is mea
ure in which the public only sre inte
ested. Bills to promote individual interest
are sure of attention from some one br
general legislation has to take roug
chance of fair consideration. No one, ft
instance, can believe that the law whic
requires all scholars of every degree in I'll
public schools to be taught the physiolog
cal effects of Intoxicating liquors, was we
considered by the legislature for I
suspect that it was given proper consider;
tiOn would be to conclude that the majorit
Of the legislators are fools. 1t was III
doubtedly pressed by temperance Gran
and swallowed by the body without con
prehension of its folly.