The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1895-08-31
President Carter Is Amazed at the
Intricate Systems'of Taxation.
THEY CANNOT BE ENFORCED
Sumptuary Laws. lie Declares, Are Dis
creditable and Need Despot to
Administer Them.

OelIOll, aug. u. - An intellectual
looking assembly of 300 leading jurists
and members of the bar was present
today when President James c. Carter
of New York called to order the 18th
annual convention of the American Bar
Association.
James Carter, president of the asso-
citation, in his annual address, said, af-
ter stating the object of the associa-
ton, that in pursuance of an especial
duty laid upon the president of the as
ISOLATION to communicate the most
noteworthy changes in the state and
congressional status during th& year,
he had made general survey of the
work of nearly 40 legislatures.
Mr.. Carter proceeded to review the
work in the several state legislatures
at length, stating the most salient
features of new enactments. In COM
menting upon the legislation thus sum-
married, Mr.. Carter said that the as
ISOLATION, in promoting uniformity of
legislation, wishes that object effected
by a general acceptance of the best
forms of legislation, and not by bring
ing about merely a general conformity.
Take the great question of taxa
tion," he said TT is amazing to think
that the enlightened states, Astounding
in productive wealth which would cas-
lily afford an ample revenue, if properly
tapped, should insist on retaining an
intricate system of taxation, even after
it has proved to be abortive for it's
avowed objects. And yet this is what
is everywhere exhibited. In some COM
munities, notably in the city of New
York, the impossibility of a general
and equal enforcement of the laws and
the revolving injustice of a partial eff
fort have had the effect of leading the
executive officers to wholly abandon
any serious attempt at rigid enforce
ment
SUMPTUARY LAWS.
THE condition of what are called
sumptuary laws is equally discredit-
able to our knowledge, both of the sci
ence of legislation and the teachings
of experience. The task of enforcing
them against the passions, the beliefs
and the interests of multitudes can be
accomplished only by a despot armed
with unlimited power. 1 know of moth
ing more needed among us than a
deepened conviction that the sphere Of
legislation, like that of other forms of
human activity, has it's proper limits,
which can never be exceeded without
mischief and sufficient knowledge of
what these limits are. So far as the
unwritten law is concerned, this uni
formity will be approached as rapidly as
should be desired by the operation of
unconscious forces of human society.
But the positive legislative determina-
lions of nations can be assimilated or
reconciled only by conscious and con-
certed action. Much has already been
accomplished in this direction by treat
les, and by those concurrently adopted
regulations operative upon the sea, the
common domain of all nations. The
wise furtherance of this benefcent
work depends upon the intelligent
oversight and cooperation of enlight-
ened jurists of the world"
Following the presidents address,
the executive committee reported the
election of q new members during the
past year. The general council report
ed it's approval Of 12S nominations for
membership, all of whom were there
upon elected unanimously. The secre-
tary reported 1144 members on the roll
besides those elected today and during
the year. A balance of $3700.36 was
shown by the report of the treasurer.