The record-union., 1897-09-05
LAUNDERING AND OTHER LEGIS-
LATION.

The New York Evening Post" is con-
vinced that there is a growing "legis-
lative paralysis" and that State legis-
lation on an intelligent basis is collaps-
ing; that legislative stupidity is increas-
ing, and that blunders of legislation,
now so numerous, are to be attributed
to the decline OF ability, care and con-
science in our Legislatures Two in
instances are cited in support of this
contention
In Iowa the Legislature is one Of the
best, The recent Republican State Con-
vention nominated for Governor a dark
horse. Leslie w. Shaw, because he had
no legislative record to defend. In
Massachusetts, in the same week in
which the Iowa nomination was made
on a purely negative basis, it was dis
covered that the recent Legislature had
made a stupid and inexcusable blunder
in amending the election laws, over
throwing the whole traditional system
Of requiring a majority of the delegates
choice of nominees, so that now the
largest number can settle the issue on
the first roll-call, though that number
may be only small minority of the
body.
There is no doubt that there is grow
ing sentiment that negative men, those
with no public records to defend, and
especially those who have no legislative
records. are more and more looked to
as the most available party candidates
for high functions in States of the
Union, precisely as Mr.. Shaw is most
available in Iowa because he has no
legislative record. Clay is reported to
have said on the receipt of news of the
nomination of Polk in 1914: Beaten;
no one knows James K. Polk: every
one knows Harry Clay's record in Con-
gress.'' It is also indisputable that there
is a great deal of legislative blundering.
It is unhappily common TO hear legisla-
tors speaking of sections slipping into"
laws, for which they voted and which
they regret. We have had any
number of such examples in Califor-
mia, and the Post asserts that in New
York over and over again have there
been such examples of legislative in
competency.
In Connecticut not long ago the Leg
islature passed bill that was sup
posed to regulate the liquor traffic un-
der a.slieense system. When the houses
adjourned the people discovered that the
Legislature had really and unintention-
ally stricken down the system by which
in no-license towns-about half of ali
in the State-druggists may sell liquor
on the prescription of a physician
In Michigan the Legislature not long
most important for the public welfare
As soon as the Supreme Court got hold
of it, it declared 1T needs no argument
to show that the law is unconstitutional
on its face
In our last Legislature the houses.
after worrying over the subject for more
than a month. passed two road bills di-
rectly opposed and destructive Of one
another, so that the Supreme Court was
driven to the necessity of ascertaining
which was chaptered and approved last
in order to determine which should die
In Massachusetts the excuse for the
blunder was the old one, that the bill
came up at the last moment, and was
hurried through. but clearly this is no
excuse whatever as the Legislature
was in session nearly six months. and
had ample time to do its duty with due
deIberation. In Connecticut no excuse
is offered whatever, and in California
no one is SO bold as to suggest anything
palliative of the offense committed in
the instance cited.
Speaker Reed has been credited with
saying that legislators cannot longer
legislate as a body. but that the work
must be done for them by master. But
this is intolerable. It amounts to a
confession Of inability to self-govern-
Legislation can be done by the body of
the House. if competent men are set to
the task, men with patriotism, con-