Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-05-22
THE NECESSITY OF STATUTORY
REFORMS

hhr OftmO
If there is any one thing more thai
another needed in the state of Wash
ington, 1t is to simplify and, to a meas
urable extent, perfect the statutes o
the state. Craftsmanship and hare
work will be required to properly cove
the subject matters demanding tn,
action Of the legislature and to simplify
the statues now in force. The laws O
the state should be brought into har
monious body and their crudities elimi
mated. The fuss and feathers involved
in the practice Of the courts should be
dispensed with. The great plan OF
show not to do a thing" should be
supplanted with a mode cutting off
the requirements involving so much
delay and innumefable orders of the
court and complaints and motions by
the attorneys.
The clerk should be invested with
power to appoint administrators and
guardians and approve their bonds,
under proper restrictions and without
delay, subject to the review of the
court for good cause shown. The rou-
tine and detail Of probate practice, ex-
cept, perhaps, TO grant an order for the
sale OF real estate, and the approval of
reports should be attended to by the
clerk, subject to review of the court, if
need be.
The foregoing is only thrown in as a
sample, to show where legislation could
be had that would advance business,
cut down expenses and simplify pro-
ceedings. The municipal code of the
state Is a conglomeration of misplaced
powers for the apparent purpose of the
collection Of multiplicity of fees.
Instead Of having one assessment of
the property within the municipality !
to serve as the basis of all taxes levied !
for the state, county and city, there
must be two assessments-two ASSESS
ments to pay for. Instead of certifying
the levy made by the city council and
having it placed on the county treas
urer's books for collection by him in the
ordinary manner, as other states, there
has to be an elaborate set of books made
out by the city and placed in the hands
OF a city marshal (who is ordinarily Sc
lected for his muscle aud supposed
nerve, rather than his business ability).
and he fondles the books and handles
tht money for time and then the
books are handed over to the city at
torney, (who is selected for his great
erudition in law, not for his facility in
handling money! and after he works
away while there Is delinquent list !
advertised, a sale made and the money
at the end of the month, passed over to
the city treasurer, accompanied with
city warrants in favor of every NUM- '
cipai officer of the city for his salary. I
such a crude and expensive system. |
gotten up In the interest of salaried I
officers and hangers on to place, ought 4
TO be wiped from the statute book
The people of the state ought to stand |
on tptoe aud demand legislation 10 !
remedy the many evils and supply the
many deficiencies existing in the stain. !
tory law of the state. With this pur-
pose in view the greatest care should e
be exercised in the choice of leoisla- =
tors The great need of statutory re- a
forms must be apparent to every citi-
zen whose attention has been directed
to the multitudinous complications. in :
public and private eases. which have =,
arisen In the courts from glaring de- !.
iects IN the laws and diverse copstruc-
lions OF conflicting or ambiguous = :,
enactments. 1t is seldom i'm anv state
new or old, that so much Legislative :,
ineompetency is developed in so short n
time as II has been the misfortune :;
Of Tins state to experience during the IT
past four years. With the peonIa a,
themselves lies the remedy. No :,
stream rises higher than its source. is
II we would have good laws we must te
'end to the legislature men who are "A,
to make them-who are able G,
o comprehend the character and ex- W
ent Of the evils complained of and al
Who have the ability and energy re- al
iuired to devise the necessary RENE tn
lies and secure their legislative adop- is
ion. Thus far In the history Of the at
tate the people have been the victims
( misplaced confidence in the poll yC
Icians. Now let US have change and ia
i've stat ssmanship and common sense pa
trial. ru