Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-28
TOO MANY LAWS.

IN inaugurate a colossal warfare against
the corporations of Cook county. H.
and will in a few days institute 1900 suits
against concerns which have failed 10
file with the Secretary OF State annual
statements required by law. The penalty
prescribed is so a day for every day OF
delinquency. There are 1900 corporations
on the Secretary's books that did not file
the required statements In 1898. and the
number OF days that have elapsed since
they became deliquent makes total Ia
bility to the State Of 5000 for each cor
poration. The whole amount involved In
said TO be about S24,OOO 600, though 1t is
safe to predict that not one thousandth
part Of 1t will ever be collected. The pro-
cedure already put on foot involves an
Immense amount Of work, and for the
5000 suits 10 be instituted will entail the
payment of S39 900 in fees.
If that wholesome bus absurd old maxim
Ignorance of the law excuses no one
prevails with all of its supposed vigor,
the Illinois corporations are liable to suf-
fer. but we suspect that when the matter
is thoroughly sifted IT will be found that
some official has been neglecting his duty.
That certainly seems TO have been the
case with delinquent taxes in Virginia,
which We're allowed to go Unnoticed so
long that freeholders naturally thought
they could always escape them
Another possible explanation of the cor
porations' negligence may be found in
the fact that Illinois, like many other
States, has too much law. While igno-
rance of some laws, particularly crimi-
nal statutes, may be ineXcusable. it is
a fallacy to suppose that any business
man can keep thoroughly abreast of all
the acts of Assembly and their multitude
nous amendments. Certainly the lawyers
cannot do so. nor do they claim very SUI
perior knowledge. And so II follows as
q consequence that too much should not
be required Of citizens in this respect.
There should be active, energetic. faithful
officials TO give prompt nOtice-to utter
cries OF warning-eTe the Commonwealth
exercises its punitive rights. In every
State there are scores of dead laws
statutes lost and forgotten among musty
calf-bound volumes. Occasionally one is
resurrected, and falls like a thunderclap
in courts and among lawyers and citizens
who are supposed 10 be legally Omnis-
cient. Law-boOks are Oyerrunning the
earth, and legislatures are doing all they
can to add TO the mischief. Already there
have been seven volumes of Assembly
acts since the last revision of the Vir-
ginia Code, and we are on the eve of an
other addition. Is 1t any wonder that
some good people-yea, even the wary
mapping?
The difficulties can only be met, as we
have minated. by notices. letters, and
newspaper publications. When corpora
ons or partnerships wish their patrons
t. pay up" or to meet their obligations,
trey always jog their memories by warn
ing letters, or epistolary hints, IN the
way OF bills They do not take it for
granted that their patrons will remember
their obligations, nor is it safe plan to
put lDO iHucH ldllH III humanity.
Yes, there is too much law in the land.
No wonder a few transgressOrs are
caught off their guard. In scoth. it is
wonder that more are not found delin-
quent Unless the evil receives some
check, the time may come when the peo-
pie must quit all other vocations and
devote their energies TO a sincere avoid
ance of that ignorance which is so I'M
pardOnable.
1t is not for us to affirm that the ILL
nOis corporations are blameless, or that
they deserve no punishment, but there
are thousands Of cases where a large in
gredient Of what may be termed Contrib
utory negligence" enters into such in
fractions of the law.