The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-05
BAD LEGISLATION.

BAD LEGISLATION.
A deal of transparentIy bad legislation
has been introduced before congress.
Much of it will fail. and yet 1t would not
surprise US to see some of the worst of the
pending bad bills enacted. for stupid and
unjust laws generally meet so little opposi-
ton from the people and the press that
their passage Is no. seldom easy, even If
their burden be not light. Legislation
that il intriusically stupid. unneces-
sary, radically impracticable and I'M
just, like the pending bill against
dealing in futures. meets with
small opposition because of the sell
tishness OF some legislators and the lack OF
moral courage on the part of others. Your
keen-minded legislator. who quickly rec
ognizes the true inwardness Of a worthless
or wickedly unjust law. makes no opposi-
ton to its passage. for while he knows it is
the work of some one-eyed champion Of
the cock-eyed goddess of reform, neverthe-
less he wants this inspired idiots vote for
his own pet measures and so he permits
folly or injustice to be enacted without
protest.
This purely selfish legislator who lodges
his duty lest his private pet bills lose vote
is far less common than the legislator who
lacks the moral courage TO resist the pas
sage of a measure which bis good sense in
forms him is not worthy of enactment.
The moral reform crank wins most of his
victories by playing upon the fears of men
who are afraid to vote against so-called
s'moral reform" statutes, lest they be stig-
matized as the enemies of temperance. re-
ligion and social purity, whose names
are constantly taken in vain by the
crank agitator The feeble protest against
the infamous and illegitimate means is
silenced by shrek concerning the legiti-
mate end in view. If the moral coward
has brains he satisfies his mind and con-
science by saying that the fool-law will
kill itself; that it cannot be executed, and
that no real practical wrong will be
wrought, since the shameful statute will
be sure TO become a dead letter.
There is no force to this plea, be-
cause If a vicious measure is
enforced il works public wrong, and If
it is not enforced it subjects the state to
severe and needless expense. cumbers the
statute book and weakens the respect for
law and Lawmakers. 1t is very easy to
pass bad laws, but it Is very difficult when
they become obsolete TO secure their re-
peal. The cranks who devised them resist
their repeal in the spirit of parental pride
and dotage that makes a weak mother ad-
mire and cherish her repulsive and hateful
children, and the moral towards who
voted for the enacted outrage and folly
will vote against the repeal from the same
base motives that prevailed with them on
its passage. Thus the statute book be-
comes swollen to an unnatural and I'M
necessary size by the accumulation of OBJ
solete legislation.
1t is this selfishness and moral coward
ice that keeps legislatures building far
worse than they know. The selfish, smart,
foxy fellows cultivate every crank's friend
ship as carefully as an old maid does her
parlor plants, because they don't care a
button how much stupid. senseless. i'm
practicable. incendiary legislation is un-
loaded on a suffering people, SO long as
they can catch the crank vote for their
private bills. The moral towards are
afraid Of having the whole bowling pack of
demagogues and cranks barking and
yelling at their heels.
If unhinching moral courage be indis-
pensable 10 great general, it surely Is to
wise. useful and upright Lawmakers. for
il Is always harder to make a good law
than 10 pass bad one. A good law is
supported with calm resolution by the
clear-eycd and courageous, but conserva-
tive class, while bad laws are supported
by corrupt men with craft and energetic
unity of action. and by cranks with that
maniacai, sleepless ardor that always In
flames the mind of the incendiary social
imbeciie or idiot, who thinks he is inspired,
when he is only ignorant, unrefiecting and
arrogant. When the legislature adjourns
and its work begins TO be tested,
then we begin to hear the cries of
popular rage and pain, If the stupid
laws are enforced, or OF contempt If they
are dead from the date of enactment. If
a man has reasonable ability to talk clearly
and forcibly on his legs. in no way will he
sooner reach high place in public esteem
than by opposing fearlessly legislation
that is radically impracticable, unwise or
pernicious, no matter who fathers and
fosters it.
At the first blush the people are some
times captured by fluent, lippant legis-
lative crank; but the people do not long
stay in chains to those who insist upon
enacting the absurd, the unjust, the mex
pedient, the oppressive, the impracticabls
on "moral grounds, " or, as they phrase it.,
"for the glory of Gods hyperbolical ex-
preston which is in great favor with per-
sons who are skilled in the verbal GYM
nastics of inveracity.