The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-01-07

going on, and the surplus law not con-
sumed is in sight in what is known in
market reports as visible supply.
And il is at this point that the new
Legislator steps in 10 make some more
law lie finds a gooo sized statute
already made by his predecessors, and
supplemental 10 this. books without
end, containing the myriad precedent
OF the great common law-the crytal-
ization into judicial decisions OF the
wisdom Of 1900 years, adopted, modi-
fed and enforced by the decisions OF
our own courts since the days OF their
organization. The legislator is potent
with power. He may make more
laws. lie mev unmake what Ia.
Should new conditions present them.
selves, for which precedent furnishes
no remedy, he may dive 20 the toun-
tain source OF an law, may aualyze,
may moraize, may philosOphize, and
thereby evolve hitherto undiscov-
cred and unused remedy tor She new
wrong. He may play 'aoul and dig
from the moss. grown grave OF the past
the fostering corpse Of long buried
error and reinstato her in the halls Of
| Justice lie can be Legislative van
dal and strolling through laws sa-
cred sanctuary demolish those priuci-
pals and preccd.nts
Reversed 10y courts and lawyers for o
| thousand years. be may pose as an
| iconoclast and shiver the brazen inn
ages of uleless form, red tape and
meaningless mumery, which, in spite
OF many reformations, still cling 70
practice acts ant impede the swift and
sure stride of Justice. lie can be a
| Draco and enact code Of blood. He
can be a Solon and repeal Draco's
| code He can make the decalogue a
chapter Of the criminal statute at
| least up i'm Kansas he tried TO do it,.
] He can cry havoc and turn loose the
demons OF vice and immortality. BY
wise and judicious legislation he can
make the land TO rise up and buffet
q great tidal wave Of prosperity; or,
/ bv voting with "the other side, he
can make il leaner than the leanest OF
| Pharo's lean kline TAT least these are
popular superstitious.) To do these
| things and 10 do them right, OF course
the legislator need not be a man Of
/ any peculiar or extraordinary attain
mcnt or qualification. Anyone can
act as a mem Der Of the legislative as.
sembly, providing that he can get
elected. Though men grow old and
gray pacing the alcoves OF great libra
ries. vending the intricate ways and
channels through which Tow the
clear, pure stream Of right, as typihed
ia established law Though the
brightest minds OF earth have devoted
a lifetime 70 the accumulation OF legal
lore, that as judges or jurists they
might declare what the law is, OF
point out what 10 should be, II is a
popular verdict, pretty well enforced
at the polls, that a lawyer has nc
business monkeying with the process
of law making, and the Few
who do succeed In reading a title
clear" duly certified by the returninl
hoard, il they turn it over will fnc
written across the back the endorse
ment: obtained under the false pre-
tense Of being great friend of the
farmer or some other lay factor po
tent in that district.
Suppose, instead of threading the
devious ways which lead to where tn,
great white light beats upon the mar
BILE OF the legislative hall, o mar
should choose some other profession o.
position in which he could have Oh
tanned equal power. Does he lean u
the ministry? a college education-i
theological education; years Of patient
earnest study of the bible and its com
b mentaries. Does he now wish L
teal down cherished idol? Does h
wish to establish new code of mora
law-to propagate new cTeed-t
combat an existing dogma, he mus
q prepare himself-dig through author
tiles, delve in libraries, compile data
7 accumulate dates, the parchment fror
tho r,r.g.ltufrtfr A Ia 1af from, d
cript beneath the buried city must b
, called in witness before he dar
1 change what is, or assert that to b
E which the wisdom of the time says
4 not.
/, Would he be a physician and dil
cover new bacilll and name and estat
fish the existence Of new microbes, II
vent new toXines or anti. toxines, dii
! cover new processes and appliances
surgery, prove present pathological
theories false and enunclate now enc
= aud establish them-then for him tim
=, money, energy patience the mic
l night oil, grey hairs and old age b,
u fore the science ans the proiessio
would bend 10 him listening ear. Ii
{ deed, upon the statutes OF most OF th
states, man before he dare doctor
(, COW, or run threshihg engine, NUT
= be first duly examined. found qualihe
= and licensed, ana it Is criminal o
), fense il he monkey with the system (
4 a scabby calf or pull the throttle OF
7 laundry engine, unless SO qualihe
d and licensed,
y My purpose is not TO suggest that
= technical kno Wedge OF the law Is ne
= essary or essential to the iudivdu
y legislator, or 70 tue legislative as
= body, for 1 believe thai such bodiC
:, should be fairly representative of Il
~ best intelligence and Integrity OF q
= classes, aud among all classes, histor
experience and hOu6e and senate Jou
" nails show that no class IS SO we'll qua
= ihed to perform the duties OF the pc,
tion as the legal fraternity and
ripper membe who have ascendl
n from the forum 10 the tribun
u believe any legislative boo
unsafe without the guiding hand
Of good legal talent The bar and u
. courts stand closer 10 the legislati'
than any other class or profession, G
eept the third house, which gene
ally stands in We are the first leg
tees OF their work, and all that pu
is tion which can be construed as intel
gible. and is not held void, remains
monuments for our guide, l am sor
TO add that with the minor legislati
% bodies at least, the relationship is on
Acknowledged on one side. The po
tion OF many memhers from the run
/. districts toward courts aud la@yers
~ much the same as that Of the dist
H. guished author OF the prairie dog d
IL In the third legislative Assem- bly,
IaN. D.