The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-07
The Value OF Laws Not Enacted.

In conversation between Senator CoNK-
LING and Mr.. T1LpES in 1874. the Senator
happened to remark that there had been
not less than 5000 bills before Congress at
tho session Just then ended. The statement
made IN impression on Mr.. TILpEN's mind :
for that great Democrat and far-secing
statesman always regarded with profound
apprehension tho drift OF Republican CEN
trnlization. and the tendency to absorb all
powers In patcrnalistic Federal Govern
ment and to assume ut Washington the
supervision and management Of all the
affairs of human society.
When Mr.. TrLDHN was nominated for
Governor at Syracuse in 1874. he referred in
his speech Of acceptance TO what Mr.. CONK-
LING had told him Of tho enormous num-
her OF bills introduced In Congress "Fivo
Thousand bills Mt tho last session." he said
In little time, as we arc now going on,
.hcre will be twenty thousand. Nobody
can know what Is in them. A centralized
Government. modelling with everything and
attempting to manage everything. would
be felt only in its blunders and its wrongs.
it would be tho most irresponsible, and
therefore not only the most oppressive. but
also the mCst corrupt. with which any peo-
pic have been cursed"
Tho prediction OF Mr.. TILDEN was sub
stantially fulfilled by the Republican Fifty
first Congress. for that Congress had before
1t 1881 House bills and Joint reso utions.
and 5,290 Senate bills and Joint resolutions.
making total OF 10. CJO.
Awriter in the Overland Monthly has pre-
pared some very useful tables sh wing tho
rnfi ,,f nt,
legislation In the last three or four Con-
crosses. OF the 2O.0I0 measures introduced
in tho Fifty-iirst Congress. for example, II
pcr cent. or 2.l90. became laws; and about
thrcc-quartcrs Of these were private acts.
such as pension bills. private claims. re-
lief bills. and SO forth. In the Fiftieth
Congress. the aggregate Of bills introduced
WINS l7.G6S. and only between 10 per cent.
and II per cent. of these became laws. In
the Forty-ninth Congress the total was
15OO2, OF which only per cont. were en-
acted: and Of tho l.45l bills passed. II per
cent. represented private legislation.
The increase In the volume OF new meas
ures introduced has been steady. as will be
seen from tho foregoing figures. Each
successive Congress has n heavier load
dumped upon its intellectunls. Tho first
session Of tho Fifty-sccond Congress. with
the House controlled by the party of Mr..
TILDRS's political faith. was no exception.
IL tho record Of It's first session Ia maln-
tained at the session now opening. the
total of bills introduced will exceed even
the aggregate Of the Republican Fiity.frst.
Here Is tho analysis for the first session as
furnished by tho Overland Monthly:
INTRODUCED IN HOUSE
Irtrats pension bills notwitD standing the OK.
s'en'e OF siItyfour general pension laws. 1O27
Frivate clAiu, and relief bills. including old var
claims and also hills removing the charge Of
dssertlon from persons seeking psuslsns 653I
Local bills pubic bsidngs, bridges Ac
1therA' pih' 2ol
400 |
INTRODUCED IN SENATE.
Private pension bins 7l3
sIhet ana calm Ds
l"cai b'iN 1l5
'oaeIs b4b
$685. |