The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-25
legislative Courtesy.


Judge A1ershon, the representative from
| Glynn county, is quoted as saying in con
/ nection with the registration bill for this
county that - Legislative courtesy has
/ already saddled too much obnoxious legis-
lation upon the people, and that it is time
for halt TO be called on this custom. "A
I tTuer remark in connection with legisla-
/ ton has seldom been been made.
! 1t was stated in our dispatches a day or
! two ago that the special Judiciary com
mittee decided to report the registration
bill for this county favorably, because to
/ do otherwise would seem 10 bea reflection
upon the Chatham delegation. The
/ inference from this is either that
the committee concluded not to
pass upon the merits of the bill
or, having done so without being con
WINGED that it was good one. thought
that courtesy TO the Chatham delegation
required that a favorable report should
be made. 1t is true that this inference
may be wrong, but it is a fair one.
While it IS true t%at the Chatham dele
cation supports the county registration
bill there is no evidence that the people
Of this county favor it. 1t has not yet
been discovered who of the people of the
county want it, as nobody, except the
representatives, acknowledge having sug-
gested it..
When the citizens committee was be
fore the special judiciary committee
efforts were made to find out who were
back of the bill and what arguments, if
any. were offered in support of it. These
efforts We're not successful. As far as the
public knows, therefore there
is no considerable number of
people of Chatham county who
favor the bill and no arguments why
it should become a law. Its chances Of
becoming a law rest almost wholly upon
Legislative courtesy" The question of
its merits will cut little, if any, figure be-
fore the legislature.
1t seems, therefore, that the legislature
does not bother itself about the merits of
local bills. The representatives of a
county can have any bill passed they
want, however injurious to the interests
Of the people of that county
the bill may be, by simply appeal
ing to Legislative courtesy" If the rep
resentatives Of a county, for some special
reason, become the mouthpieces of a
small faction rather than the guardians
of the interests Of all their constituents.
the people of that county, owing to LEG
islature courtesy" have no means of hay
ing their rights protected.
Is this the kind Of legislation the people
of this state want3 If it is not, is it not
time they should say So
Judge Mershon recognizes the fact
that he is a representative of the
people of the whole state, as well
as of the people of his county. He
understands that it is his duty to in
quire into the character of all bills and TO
oppose those that are bad. He sees how
wrong it would be to let the legislature be
made the instrument for promoting the
schemes of a political clique or faction.
1t is to be hoped that when bad local
bills come before the legislature there
will be found other members who will
disregard Legislative courtesy" and Join
Judge Mershon in protecting the people
by opposing them. Wrongs should not be
permitted under the cover of Legislative
courtesy"