The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-31
WE ARE TOO MUCH GOVERNED,

congress and the state legislatures.
The ex-senator says there seems to
be mania among modern makers
for the abnormal increase of statutes
Ihis tendency, he says, is not confined
to desire for unjust or illiberal legis
lation, but extends to legislation of
every sort, and points out that a bare
glance at the recent session laws of
New York confirms the statement, for
the bulky volumes are filed with crude.
| illy-digested and undesirable statutes,
one-half of which, it is safe to say,
are either mischevous or wholly I'M
necessary The food-gates of special
| legislation seem to have been let loose,
and every conceivable subject has been
acted upon which the ingenuity of man
could suggest.
He then goes on to declare, and what
he declares is true, that the sound and
well recognized general doctrine that
a man may eat, drink and wear what
soever he pleases, and act as he himself
sees fit, so long as he does not inter-
fere with the just prerogatives of his
neighbors, is being SO hedged about
Win CACSpllOIlS anu QudllnCdilOno llioS
it has almost been lost sight of; and
that it is a fitting time to revive the
consideration of elementary principles
of conduct, and to determine the true
province of the law-making powers of
government
He touches upon many of the person
al rights of men that have been in
| vaded; tells how the schools have been
made the means of carrying on cru
SADIE against one thing and another;
| how legitimate sports have been so
hedged about with statutes that they
are no longer possible, and says that
even the liberty of the press is not
safe, citing in this connection what is
known as the anti-cartoon bill now
before the New York legislature.
Speaking of this very bill he says:
While such a measure would I'M
doubtedly possess some advantages and
is not wholly without merit, yet after
all is it not really a step in the wrong
direction? Where is the line to be
drawn? Would there not soon follow
the prohibition of the printing of the
picture of ones house, barn, carriage,
horse or servant? Would not a full
and complete censorship of the press be
next in order? Indeed, a measure to
that effect has already been intro
duced in the New York legislature, and
is now awaiting action. These facts
show the wonderful progress which the
adherents of absolutism are making in
their zeal to suppress what remnants
of
to remain among u.s."
The distinguished ex-senator closes
as follows:
Our communities are filled with long
haired men and Short-haired women,
well-meaning, but woefully. misguided
persons-intent upon minding other
peoples business, who are diligently
connecting new schemes of legislation
whereby to more completely circum-
scribe the personal privileges and limo
cent customs and habits of citizens.
Offensive Sabbatarian legislation
opens up wide field for the activities
of these busybodies. Having succeeded
in making shaving and hair cutting on
Sunday a penal offense, will not the
business of boot backing on that day
be next prohibited? The sale of Sun
day newspapers will likely then be
stopped. If the sale of harmless bever-
ages on Sunday is to be absolutely for
hidden, regardless of circumstances or
conditions. whether in hotels, clubs J
restaurants, or upon steamboats, or
cars, how soon will it be before an
other step shall be taken by actually |
prescribing what men may eat and |
drink on Sunday how and in what /
manner they shall conduct themselves, |
and even travelling on that day, and |
every form of recreation shall be either |
fol-
stricted?
When once the state assumes to in |
termeddle with social and personal |
conduct beyond we'll recognized limita- |
tons, every barrier for the protection |
of personal liberty is in danger of |
being broken down.
It is time to cry a halt. We need |
less-not more-legislation. Individual
ism should be exalted, rather than that |
the powers and functions of govern |
ments should be increased; and to the !
accomplishment of that end an intelli |
gent public sentiment should now be |
aroused and directed. |
All that is good Democratic doctrine, |
sound as a silver dollar. The eX-sena-
tor could have backed up every state
ment made by him with numerous eX-
anples from the laws enacted, or bills
introduced for enactment into law, by
the various legislatures the past win
ter. This country never has seen such
an era of cranky legislation as it has
witnessed the past winter. Bills
were introduced to regulate almost
everything from the height of women's
hats and proposals of marriage to the
observance of the Ten Commandments.
Connecticut's blue laws were models of
liberality and enlightenment compared
with many of the bills that some of
the legislatures of the states wanted
to. and in some cases did, enact into
law. The more incompetent and cranky
the legislature was, the greater the
mania for making laws on every con-
ceivable subject was. AS ex-senator
Hill says, it is time to cry halt And
the cry should be kept up until the
halt comes.
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