The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-08-27
OVerle oiS!atiOn.

Quite timely and instructive was the
annual address yesterday delivered be.
fore the American Bar association By
Governor Griggs, of New Jersey HIS
subject "Lawmakng," was introduced
with the striking and probably just re-
mark that there is mo one thing in all
the various departments of government
or business that is carried on with less
scientific or orderly method than the
making of laws" in support of which
the speaker cited a mass of evidence.
1t is unnecessary to follow him through
that, since the evil of overlegislatior is
seen and known by all men; but we
cannot forbear to quote this true para
graph:
The process of turning mental con-
ception into law is so simple and easy
in the ordinary state legislature that
laws are losing the sanction of solemnity
and moral authority that they once pos
sessed. Besides the spirit of obedience
as a patriotic duty, there was in former
days feeling of reverence and awe to-
wards the body of the law as being the
embodiment of the wisdom of government
inspired by very high regard for the
welfare of society and promulgated only
Grafton. The English race have been
taught through centuries to regard hu-
man and divine law as closely related
in their qualities of solemnity and au-
thority To them the inspiration and the
type have been the law that was given
on Mt. Sinai, with the fire that burned
upon It, and the thunders and lightnings
and the thick cloud upon the mount,
and the voice of the trumpet exceeding
loud, and the people standing afar off
aWe-struck. Render unto Caesar the
things that are Caesars" is the divine
approval under which the Christian
world has come to regard the law of the
land as possessed of a divine sanction.
Law, as thus conceived, is not q thing
to be changed with every whim and cap
rice of popular opinion.
The governor of New Jersey deplores
the fact that while every other depart
ment Of business, of trade, of art, of
commerce has its skilled and experi-
cnced men, there is no class of skilled
legislators. And though the men who
interpret law are specialists, whose OBJ
ject quite as often is to defeat as TO
promote the intent of the statute, the
makers of the law in most instances
are novices, picked up at random fr m
among the various trades and profess
sions. Generally speaking" he saws.
and says justly. Statutes are the pro,
Gucts of unascertainable aUthors-chil-
dren Of nobody-unable to boast of ien-
rite parentage. No one certifles to their
completeness or accuracy. They ere
not prepared upon careful plans, sub
mite { and supervised by expert archi-
tects of law-building. 1t Is all chan ,e
arG haphazard; the event must deter
mine whether they are goo or bad,
whether they express the actual intent
of tHe author or some in.ant entirely
foreign to his will" Once before IN.
Legislature, "under the pressure of the
introducer, with his personal pride in
the ward of his legislative guardian
ship, or because no positive evidence of
narm appears, or under the processes
of logrolling, by which the maxim 'one
good turn deserves another is brought
to bear upon the function of law-mak-
ing, many measures that are useless
and some that are positively vicious re-
ceive the approval of the majority and
go to the executive for approval The.
practice is to hold these measures back
to the closing days Of the session, when
the attention of the more careful and
prudent is relaxed or occupied; thea
the flood-gates are opened and new
laws pour out in torrent that is ter
rifying TO the careful conservatism of
the bar and the courts. 1t seems"
adds Governor Griggs, that the only
Immediate remedy for this condition
rests in the disapproval of the execu-
tive"
AS to remedies, the speaker takes no
stock in propositions involving essen
tial changes in our parliamentary sys-
tenn, and is especially opposed to the
reference Of general laws 10 a popular
vote Of acceptance or rejection, ITO
indulge" says he, Sin the practice of
the referendum, except upon such mat
ters as constitutional amendments,
would tend to destroy confidence in
our republican system and produce the
highest degree OF instability, subject
ing the judgment of the uniformed
ha 10 -