Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1889-07-04
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There are Throughout the
State any quantity of aspirants
for the position of member OF
the Legislature by young fel-
lows who have an idea that the
Legislature is the first round of
the ladder OF fame, that import
art body is the nursery for
young aud sucking statesmen.
Ask one of these men after the
body OF which they have been
members. has closed it's session.
as 20 the effect of seine OF the
more important laws that have
been enacted and he viii prOba-
bly, be unable TO tell Ofits work
ings or whether it requires any
amendment To make u aecepta-
Die and useful. or whether II is
OF a nature that ITS entire re-
peal would be the best disposi-
ton 10 make of Il. be would be
unable 20 answer the question
or probably to tell anything
about the law IN question.
The people who send men
like these 10 the Legislature are
responsible for much of our in
furious Legislation and for much
OF the damage the State receiv-
es from the continuance Of the
statute book Of hnrtful laws.
As a general thing there are ia
every Legislature a few leading
spirits in whose wake win fol-
low the bulk of the members
who are in a large degree infu-
eneed by their partIalIty TO their
lenders Those are not the kind
%: men who are suited to make
the laws OF State. Il IS men
of thought. who have good prac
teal knowledge Of the laws al
ready in existence as yell as Of
the Legislation that IS best for
the good, not only of their own
immediate constituents, but OF
the people OF the whole State;
men of cool cousiderate iudg.
ment and men of honesty of pGf
pose who will NOT sacrifice the
interest of the Stat for that oil
any particular or favOrite class
OF men.
There is probably too much
Legislation and so long as mem
bers r chosen merely for the
qualification of ambitious young
POLITICIANS this evil will increase.
Not only will the number oil
laws be increased bat the direc
ton of this legislation will be
misehIevous. The ambition oil
many men is to strike out in q
new direction and to undertake
10 make changes that after ex
perIence will prove to have any.
thing but a sa.utary effect. The
number of these novel bills in.
trOduced in the last Legislature
which but for the watehful over
sight OF d careful Governor aud
the active exertions of a few
cool headed and well informed
members in both Houses. would
have become laws. are proof o,
the truth of the dangers that
may arise from a careless selec.
ton of legislators.
There is in some quarters a
disposition to weed ont from the
Legislative body those of the lie
gal profession. 1t is we'll to
have the agricultural and me.
chanical classes we'll represent
ed in the legislature but they
should be meu of mature iudg
neat and good information, men
who are not prejudieed agains;
the professions and who know
the value of legal acumen IN the
preparation of laws that vii
stand the test OF the courts.
But i, will be found that law
yers are an essential coustitu
cut of a legislative body and
that a legislature composed en-
tirely oflawyers would probably
be better than one composed
entirely of farmers. The PEG
pie should see to il that botI
classes are represented, bat al
the same time they should Sc,
To it that no crank or "smart
Aleekf of either class should
have a seat in a body upor
whose action so largely depend:
the prosperity and the pretsc
ton of the people of the State
With a practical common sense
legislature there is a prosperou.
career before this State; with
one OF an opposite character
there are years of tagging, uE
7 hill erAwE -2 sT