The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-03-22

The Salt Lake Tribune" in consid-
ering the work Of several State Legisla
lures, comes to the conclusion that it
might be better if the framing Of the
laws could be done by a commission
of about fifteen persons. The assump-
tion upon which this suggestion is
based is that the fifteen would be cho-
sen with special regard to their fitness
and general high qualification. But
there comes the rub. Who is to choose
such commission or small legislative
body?
In any form of government obvious
ly the law making power must be SOW
ereign, and therefore the people in a
self-governing country must select the
agency that is to serve them as a COM
mission, but Legislature is only that
and nothing more. The fifteen, therefore,
would be the Legislature as much as
the hundred or any greater number If
then the people must choose the law
making agency, the fifteen would be
as subject to be chosen on political lines
as is the larger number.
Would we get any better results by
reducing the legislative body to
small dimensions? This may be an
swered in the affirmative, for a small
body would be composed of men repre-
senting greatly larger constituency
and there Is reason to believe that the
people, under such circumstances
would be more circumspect in choos-
Ing, and that broader ability and high
er character would stand for the Of
flee. In support of the suggestion fol
a commission or lesser Legislature, the
Tribune says:
Legislators are chosen from the body
of the people, but in every State e
great many are chosen who know moth
ing at all about the machinery of legis-
lation- They are not broad-mindei
men. They judge of everything from
their own provincial and narrow stand
point, and il takes years of education
to make them fit to sit in deliberativ'
body and help to frame the laws for {
sovereign State. No end of time ant
money are spent in this education, ana
the result hardly justifies the expense
For various offices under the Govern
ment. applicants have to submit II
and pass a kindergarten examination
Suppose that tests were put upon TIL
Legislators of the various States. how
many of them could give lucid answers
TO questions concerning the plan of on
Government, the nature Of institution
and the knowledge necessary for a leg
islator to possess in order to be quail
fed to sit in a body of that kind?
All which is undeniably true. 1t i
true that men are chosen for the Leg
islature, as our contemporary AYERS
very often because they are good farm
ers, good stockmen, good merchants o
good fellows, and that only rarely be
cause of special fitness by reason of ed
ucation and knowledge of the science o
government and legislation. Referring
TO the idea that anyone will do for tn
Legislature, our contemporary says:
1t is a mistaken idea in great part
The only commemorate feature about i
all is that il goes down among tn
people It acknowledges the majesty o
their midst selects men TO do this work
although the selection is oftener mad
because of the personal popularity o
the man, or through sheer indifference
Of the public, than because of any fit
Dess which he may possess for the of
flee of legislator.
A question, then, Is. viii it be wise t
reduce the law-making power to
small number Of picked men? The an
swer must be no" unless there is as
surance that the lesser number is com
posed of picked men. those having a
the qualifications essential in the wis
and safe legislator. ii may be serious
II doubted, also. If there would not b
danger in concentrating power in
small number. whereas there is safet
for free government in a large bod
chosen directly from many small com
u4unfties, even though that body ma
be i'll equipped to enact laws wisely.
But, as was suggested in the Record
Union a long time ago, and debated