Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1895-08-31
THE HEBARASSOCIATION
President Carter Is Amazed at the
Intricate Systems Of Taxation.
THEY CANNOT BE ENFORCED
SumPfuary Laws, He Declares, Are Dis.
creditaeie and Need Despot to
Administer Them.

Detroit, Aug. 81. An intellectual
looking assembly of 500 leading iurists
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-
cation, IN his annual address, said af-
Yer stating the object of the associa-
ton, that in pursuance of an especial
duty laid upon the president of the as
soclatlon to communicate the most
noteworthy changes in the state and
congressional status during the year.
ne had made a general survey of the
work OF nearly 10 legisla lures.
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 legislati thus sum-
married, MIR. Garter said that the as
soclation, in promoting uniformity of
legislation, wishes that object effected
by d general acceptance of the best
lofhlS OF legislation, and not by bring
ing about merely q general conformity
Take the great question of taxa
tion, he said. 1T is amazing to think
that the enlightened states, abounding
III productive wealth which would cas-
lly 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 its
avoWed objects. And yet this is what
IS everywhere exhibited. In some COM
munities, notably in the city of New
York, the inpossbility 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 despot armed
with unlimited power. / know of moth
ing more needed among us than
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 a 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 legislat tive determina-
tions Of nations can be assimiIated 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 beneficent
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 n new members during the
past year. The general council report
ed its approval of 12S nominations for
mem bership, all of whom We're there>
upon elected unanimously The secre-
tary reported liza members on the roll
besides those elected today and during
the year. A balance of $370O36 was
shown by the report of the treasurer.