Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-22


The Work WIN - csmp.essd In . Few
Months, MI. Albert Thinks.
Mr.. VIM. Stone Albert, one Of the commits
sioners appointed by the Court In General
Term TO compile the lave relating to the Dis
trict of Columbia, stated to srAa reporter
yesterday afternoon that he expected that the
work would be ready for the approval Of the
court about the LIST Of April next. Mr.. Albert
explained that the task of making the compile
ton was one Of great magnitude and one Of
almost endless perplexity. Many obstacles, he
said, had been met in preparing the work, and
the lack at times Of the necessary funds
to carry on the compilation had COM
PEELED cessation of the labors Incl
dental to the task. Then, too, his private
practice and deaths In his family had also oper-
ated to prevent an earlier completion Of the
work Mr.. ALERT stated that in preparing the
compilation he had been in constant consulta-
ton with the court, and had received the
courts opinion e. to the almost innumerable
questions arising In connection with the work.
Up to the present time, Mr.. Albert explained,
he had found It necessary to divide the work
that IL would be found necessary to make more
chapters. He said It WAS his desire, as he be-
lieved 1t was the desire of the court, that the
work should be as complete and convenient
Is the necessities Of the case and human inge-
nuity and experience could make II In
his labors he had adopted the prin-
ciple that compiler should never
endeavor in any way whatever to repeal
laws by emitting them, and he had, therefore,
always incorporated In the compilation every
law about which there existed any doubt as to
its remaining in force at the time the compile
ton was authorized; that ia, up to and inclus-
i've Of the laws Of the Fiftieth Congress. The
work when completed, thought Mr.. Albert,
would consist Of not less than two large vol
umes. although 1t was impossible to estimate
the number Of pages which each volume would
contain There remained unexpended about
s650 OF the appropriation made for the COM
pletion Of the work, and he believed that no
further appropriation would be found neces-
sary.
There was, however, said Mr.. Albert, one
matter which, IL 1t could be brought about,
would greatly enhance the value of the work and
also materially advance its early completion, and
that was the authority to print the different
chapters as they were completed. Under the
provisions Of the act Of Congress authorizing
the compilation the public printer was directed
to print it after its completion and final ap-
proval bv the Court in General Term. In the
case OF the Revised Statutes Of the United States
the commissioners preparing that work were
authorized to have the different chapters printed
as they were completed. Could such course
be pursued in the present case Mr.. Albert
thought that az the chapters were printed they
could be read and investigated by every one in
terested In the matter. and thereby the mis-
takes and omissions, which unavoidably occur
In such works, could at once be brought to the
attention OF the commission and the court and
the mistakes corrected and the omission sup
piled before the whole work was finally printed.