New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-12

Davli Dudley Field. in hi, letter to the president
~ tho state Rsr A,so,la eXcIsing his absence from
tho recent meeting OF the association. called attention
IN the Character OF the legislation enacted Al Inc HISS
session OF the legislature. and his analysis of the
laws shows the hold which special legislation has on
the affections Of the legislators. outsh" OF me
statutory rcvi.ions there 715 chapters OF laws.
Three hundred and FIVE Ol these were 20 amend former
statutes 100 related to the city OF New-fork 30 10
tho civ of Broohlyn 40 to the city Of Buffalo and
20 10 the city of Albany 60 related to appropriations.
and l. TO taxation. Mr.. Field refers to a number
Of case, IN which laws pissed al the last session
and within Il few days aterward other laws wero
passed relating the matters and changing tho
laws lust before adopted. He estimate1, I'VE years
ago irat the average cost Of statute Is s.34. ana
il. leaving the situation as 1t originally was. Mr.:
restraint upn ITSELF" Unless history is unreliable
a, a guide to The future. IT /, prof. able that w!elhsr
Itself from this needless Outpjuring of statutes Inc
evil which Mr.. Field points out seems to have no
stronger constitutional provisions against special legs
laon and the passage OF general statutes reiaung -
classes Of legislation ard which can only be amended
by changing the general rule relating TO that hine
Of legislation.
The relation Of the law TO some OF the mn0e
Incidents Of life is shown in number Of recent cases.
In the Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Penny.
packer tells the story Of the injury to boy nnetees
months old, who struck by the wheels OF
car The Judge says in true novelwriters style. "n
was a warm summer day and the boy. watched BY bio
mother ran In and out OF the store. eating CAKE
and banana and sat on the front door step. somo
time between and 9 O'Clock she was called to the
counter at the part o the store to cut piece
Of dried beef for customer and so on with the
interesting details OF this moving incident resulting
In the conclusion that IL not negligence for The
mot er attend TO the dried beef customer ana 70
allow her Young to wander into the part OF the
roadway designed for sreet-car traffic The General
Term Of the supreme Court OF this city considered the
ease OF man who died from Injuries caused by falling
down q flight OF stairs, his foot having caught In
rubber covering Of the top stair. The wife ~
covered a verdict Of 1900 from the landlord. who
had carelessly allowed the rubber covering to remain
loose and the General Term affirmed the verdict The
experiences Of many New Yorker, are recalled by .
recent decision Of the General Term in the superior
Court in an action ly the guardian OF boy for in
jiries caused BY drivers carelessness In backing .
truck across the sidewalk along which the boy was
passing. The recovery OF damages IN this alse
was sustained. A ten-year-od Chicago boy at
tempted to cross the railroad tracks at street
crossing in that city but stumbled at hole In the
walk, fell IN front Of an advancing engine and Wa
killed. The Appellate Court sustained verdict
against the railroad company.