The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-11-14
NATIONAL AFFAIRS.
Law-Making by the National
Legislature.
THE POLITICAL BAROMETER
The Useless Laws on the Statute
Books-CleTeland'sC hsnees-Utah
and Idsho-General Notes.
From our own correspondent.

From our own Correspondent.
It is q remarkable fact, not very
often noticed, that the United State:
of America, through the action OF it!
National Legislature, suffers, in a very
marked degree, from an over-amount Of
legislation; that thousands of laws have
been passed which, from absolute in
ability to enforce them. remain upon
the statute books q dead letter. The
members of the National Legislature,
especially those OF mature experience,
are begi. n n; to realize this fact They
have come to the conclusion that to dis
cuss and pass the thousands of bills
that are introduced during the session
of Congress, would be nothing more
nor less than an absolute waste of time.
As ii is, the valuable time generally
occupied by each Congress is frittered
away in anything but the most profit
able name. Days, weeks and month f,
sometimes, are consumed in the dis
cussion OF bills OF
I
whatever. The whole object of cer-
ia parties seems to be the at
tainment of some individual end.
National legislation that would appear
TO be of the highest Importance may go
to thunder until these party measures
are accomplished. Legislation that
would be a benefit to the country at
large has to be shelved until every Jack,
Joe and Bill who has an axe to grind
can attain the object they have in view.
OF course, the people of the country are
heartily sick of such procedure, and
they sometimes manifest their sickness
at the polls, although not to the extent
that they ought TO, or may do in the
near future. The constituency of a
country like the United States is 4 curl
Gus element to control. The issues that
are constantly arising are of such a
varied nature, and of such individual
interest and concern, that public opin-
ION sometimes changes with extraordln-
ary rapidity, the result being that that
which IS considered of Importance to
day, tomorrow, or a week or a month
hence, Is tossed to one side and some
thing advanced and advocated in It's
olace.
TIE POLITICAL BAROMETER
is, therefore, never steady. 1t is con-
stantly going up and down. Politicians
must suit themselves TO the occasion.
They must be willing to advocate the
will of the people, or take back
seat in the field of politics To-day the
protectionist party. for instance, are in
the majority; in a few years the free
traders may be in the majority, in which
case the former would be retired. Some
years ago trades union organizations
were not particularly courted as political
factors. To-day the Knights of Labor
are beginning to be recognized
especially since the recent election in
New York-as q political power. one
that it will never do TO pooh-pooh with |
IMMUNITY. On the contrary. in the next
Presidential election the votes of the
knights of Labor will be eagerly sought
after by the two or three great con- |
tending parties that may happen 70
have candidates in the field. II certain
legislation is demanded, certain men
will be selected to see that it IS consum- |
mated; but before any radical change |
can take place in the passing of i'm
portant legislation much of the work
that the National Legislature now
undertakes will have to be handed over
to some other body Of men yet 20 be
organized-by act of Congress, of
course-in the future.
DURING THE LAST SESSION
OF Congress there were some Il, 200 bi Is /
introduced, and of this vast number
only 200 odd were passed and became
law. OF the whole number it is
safe to say that at least $3.50
of the total number will die a natural
death on the 4th OF March next. To
the uninitiated it will, of course, be
mystery as TO what on earth all these
bills can possibly refer. Well, they re-
fer to almost every conceivable subject.
a vast number of them are pension
bills; bills for the relief of soldiers
widows. bills for every little NOOK ham.
let, village, town aud city in the whole
country. They are The productions.
many of them, OF nav members ANXIOUS
to make themselves solid" with their
constituents. They are first efforts,
and while the object sought to be at
tanned is laudable in many instances.
still, If said new members have hap
pened to have missed reelection ten
days ago, they will not be apt to incon-
Yenience themselves very much next
session in trying TO obtain the passage
of their ltlle bills. They will leave
their successors to try on their hand.
This, perhaps, is scarcely the thing.
when the matter Of duty is considered,
but il viii be done all the same.
IN REGARD TO The PENSION BILLS,
Far too much time valuable time.
which ought to be devoted TO something
eise-is devoted TO their consideration.
Indeed. the time must come, and
that before long, when the considera-
ion and passage OF pension bills
will have 10 be taken out of the
hands OF Congress altogether and given
into the hands Of some pension board
organized by act OF Congress, with
special powers 10 consider and pass
uDon all matters pertaining TO pensions. /
Whenever this is accomplished. one
step viii have been taken in the right
direction towards paving the way Tor
the consideration By Congress of more
important legislation legislation OF