The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-12-14
The Legislature.

Legislature" and two years ago that
body was immortalized as the "Squaw-
buck Legislature" No doubt some
equally expressive cogmomen is in store
for the statesmen who are soon To
assemble at our Capitol.
While this sort of thing may be ex-
ceedingly laughable, and may in many
serses have been deserved, it is never
theless disgraceful.
No doubt we have had weak legisla-
lures and cheap legislators, but on the
whole Michigan talent, in legislative
matters, has been honest and has com
pared favorably with that of neighbor-
ing states. At any rate, it is unbecom-
ing in us to disparage and belittle our
selves and our institutions and to
advertise our legislature to the country
at large in such an undignified way.
Ridicule is often potent corrector
but generally dangerous remedy.
The fault to be found with our legis-
latures of the past has been chargeable
against the members as whole; and,
so long as we continue to follow the
practices of the past; sessions of the
legislature must of necessity be lengthy;
and dissatisfaction of the character
found i'm the past, will be sure TO follow.
The trouble we have experienced has
been largely occasioned by the loose
manner in which our laws have been
framed rather than in consequence of
the subject matter of the laws them
selves
Valuable and needed laws have been
set aside by the courts because of the
faulty and illegal way in which they
have been prepared and passed.
When we consider that Substantially
all the men who form our legislatures
are entirely new to the duties they are
to perform, and that we have no method
by which needed legislation shall be
Systematically brought to their atten-
ton, but that, on the contrary, the
whole matter is a hap-hazard affair
dependent, for the most part, upon such
measures as may be offered by the large
number of gentlemen who constitute
the two bodies, all of whom have
more than less bills which they or their
constituents desires to press forward,
and that added to all this, there is no
competent agency employed to put these
bills and measures into legal form, it is
truly wonderful that we attain to even
the success that the past has shown.
If the time shall come when it is
made the duty of our Supreme Court
as well as of our Circuit Judges, the
Attorney General, and our state officials
to direct the attention of the Governor,
i'm proper reports made to him, to such
laws as may need amendment or enact
ment, to be presented by him to the
legislature when assembled, with such
recommendations as he may think
advantageous, and when competent
persons shall be employed to put into
proper and legal form SUI, h laws as the
legislature may deem it wise to pass,
or when some satisfactory plan looking
to this end shall he adopted, we shall
have no further occasion to belittle our
selves and our legislature by clubbing
them by such uncomplimentary names;
but on the contrary shall find that even
with the talent which can be expected
to offer itself to the state for the price
paid, we shall secure the enactment of
substantially all legislation that is best
for us in good and legal form.
The amount of money which has been
lost and spent in consequence of the
loose, irregular and illegal manner in
which our laws have been thrown to-
gether and which has necessitated their
overthrow by our courts, would have
paid for "A great many years the services
of men learned and competent to have
framed and worded such laws i'm such
manner as to have avoided their over
throw and to have secured their affirm
ance.
OF course, there are difficulties in the
way of the adoption of the corrective
methods proposed, but most people
will agree that some plan should be
devised, and that speedily, to prevent
In the future the sad experiences of the
past.
What we need is to afford our legis-
lature all feasible means to enable them
to do their work expeditiously, intelli-
gently and legally, and to dignity these
bodies without magnifying them, and
to insist that, whatever may be the
ability of those entrusted for the time
being with the duty of awmaking, that
such duties shall be discharged, not only
honestly but decorously and promptly.
The holding of our legislatures up to
ridicule will not accomplish the ends
desired, but will deter the kind of
talent we most need from entering the
state service, render our great common
wealth the laughing stock of the country
and continue u policy which has been
exceedingly expensive and unfortunate