The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-26
Lawmaking and Lawmakers.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
OF the making of laws there seems to be
no end And of the ambition to become
lawmakers there seems to be no limit. 1t
is well that we should improve and revise
and repeal our laws now and then, and
here and there. if we keep in line with the
spirit of progress. But if legislation would
proceed on the principle of evolution and
growth, instead of on the theory of forma>
ton and reformation there would doubtless
be fewer weak, ambiguous and ''un-
constitutional laws and more sensi-
BILE, clear and healthful ones Laws
grow; they are not made. And lawmak-
ing should be evolutionary, rather than re-
formatory. The so-calIed making of the
law, or the expressing it in language in
statutory FORM is merely formulative ex-
pressing not so much the will of the peo-
pie as their growth The cry of reform
may become mere fad, and do more harm
than good as it did when it elected Cleve-
land President of the United States. The
dire result of his election was a natural
sequence and was in keeping with the the
DRY on which he was elected. Mckinley was
elected on the principle of growth, progress
and development, and the fruits Of his cleo
ton are in keeping with the theory on which
he was elected. 1t does not require periodic
and spasmodic cries of reform to keep the
Republican party alive and on top The
people need it's principles and demand its
services. And when the Republican party
is intrusted with the duty of formulating
laws It alone is responsible, when it
someness or EMBELLISHMENTS of those laws
The party should see to it that the best
me wlsests the ablest and purest men
be elected as legislators. from the
State Legislatures to the Senate of the
United States. Personal friendship and
party favoritiSm should give way to uuali-
ficaticn, ability and craftsmanship. 1t does
not necessarily follow that man must be
old in years TO be statesman or to pos
sesS qualification. Ripeness in years does
not always mean ripeness in ability and
craftsmanship; neither does lack of years
always mean lack OF ability and statesman
snip. The thing is to discover what would
be lawmaker possesses, regardless of his
gray hairs or youthful-looking face. Often
times men are elected to our State Legisla-
lures TO make laws who never have read
n dozen pages of law. They don't know
any more about what laws ought to be
amended or repealed, or what new laws
ought TO be formulated than boy ten years
old. No wonder we have so many 1umbled-
up, unconstitutional laws. AS Blackstone
says; How unbecoming must il appear in
a member of the Legislature to vote for a
new law who is utterly ignorant of the
old: what kind of Interpretation can he be
enabled to give. who is a stranger to the
text upon which he comments?' OF the
making of national laws he says: THE mis-
chiefs that have arisen to the public from
inconsiderate alterations in our law are too
obvious to be called in question, and how
far they have been owing to the defective
education of our senator's is a point we'll
worthy the public attention" Our laws
being a development and growth, the men
elected to formulate those laws should be
men of development and growth: broad
minded, generous-hearted, farsghted, think
ing men; intellectually strong and of rugged
unblemished moral character. The Indiana
Legislature has one of the most important
.1faff hAfn hat hos harV lloI
to perform for many years. The Republic
an legislators must elect a man to wear the
mantle of Morton, Mcdonald Hendricks
and Harrison. The man whom that mantle
would come nearest fitting should be elected,
and doubtless win be.
JONATHAN KEITH
NincpOpes Ind