New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-30
IFGISLATITE REVISION.

Of all the matters considered by tne Amefl-
can Bar Association during its present session
in Chicago it is probably safe to say that the
mast universally important is that oil defective
LEGISLATION and the remedy therefor. res0-
lution recommending the adoption by the sever
al states of a permanent system to revise acts
introduced into the Legislature was reported
upon Yesterday by the Committee on Jnris-
n,ndence and Law Reform, which advised that
committee be appointed at each session, from
both houses for the purpose Of peffecting legis-
ation with the assistance OF the Attorney ii en-
eral The report was accompanied by bill
for presentation to the various Iegislatul es
through the State associations
If this recommendation be carried into effect
II can scarcely fail to accomplish results Of
great value to the public. The proposed sys-
ten may disclose defects in PRACTICAL operation
which will have to be remedied, but the de-
Gbelate recognition of an absurdity from which
the country has continually suffered during
every wear of its existence ia in itself posi-
tive advantage. II at least brings lelief near
er. Furthermore, IL is encouraging to see this
reform proceeding from the Bar Association
since very considerable part of our most cost
w litigation has arisen from the obscurlty OF
statutes A good deal of this litigation. more
over. has been dscreditabe as well as costly
for il is a common device in the furthelance of
private interests so to cOntfiye the phlaseology
of an act that it may be judicialy interpreted
70 bear meaning different from that which it
il generally supposed to have at the time of it's
Massage. Thus. for example, and without as
.l,4 10 oil will no sustained
il il held by cur city authorities that the act
authorizing street railroad companies to change
their motive power was ingeniouSly amended
so as precisely to reverse the conditions which
the original measure imposed. This point was
forcibly argued before the Governor by the
Corporation Counsel, and will be an important
feature of the case when it comes before the
courts.
II is said that there is not book in the world
in which some typographical error has not
eluded the vigilance Of proofreaders, and there
is no reason to suppose thai u Legislative COM
mittee or any other system OF revision will
make the laws of forty-two States technically
perfect but il is not too much to hope that the
grssser defects of language and the more fla
grant contradictions Of meaning may be elm
ina ted by some such means a. the Bar Asso-
citation proposes. 1t is both exasperating and
ridiculous TO spend q vast sum OF money in the
enactment Of laws, only to discover that still
larger sum must be expended OH their INFER
pietation. Under the present system il Is
practically the fact that little on no odium at
taches to any individual by reason Of the de-
fecls in any BILL but official reyisels could not
easily escape censure when their work had
been found either fraudulent or absurd.
This proposition, in its main terms, is not
new. Ii has been repeatedly suggested OIL
cially and otherwise. and in this State was
urged upon the Legislature two years ago by
Governor Hill. who favOrs the employment OF
a legislative attorney. An indirect advantage
which some such system might be expected to
confer upon the community would be de-
crease in the number Of measures introduced
and consequent saving of time for the con-
sidelaton of those deserving to be enacted.
At the very least such performances would be
avoided as the passage by the last Legislature
Of New York Of two bills Of identical purpOrt
which the Governor signed aud which are now
on the statute book.