The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-05
ANONYMOUS LEGISLATION.

I2ANSAS, that prolific mother of reformers OF al
n kinds, from Fighting John Brown to SockesS
Simpson, has another aspirant for fame, who
curiously enough seeks it in the halls OF legislation
by proposing measure which will prevent all egis-
ators in future from obtaining even mention in
an account of their work.
This gentleman, whose name is T. S. Elder and
who holds down his seat a fusionst, has intro
duced into the House of Representatives OF his be-
loved Kansas resolution providing that all egiS-
lation hereafter shall be strictly anonymous. Bills
are to be introduced in such manner that man
shall know the of the introducer.
The reasons which have moved Mr.. Elder to pro-
pose so startling an innovation are set forth by him
in a preamble to his resolution, and well ex-
pressed therein that any attempt digest summary
would be waste of words The full text as it comes
to us reads as follows:
Whereas, The greatest enemy to legislation is
rank partisa nship and stands more in the way of
good lawmakng than thousand poisoned arrows,
and member may introduce bill of merit, one of
real worth and which would bring sunshine and
joy to the homes of Kansas That no sooner is a
bill read and the of the introducer made
known than odium attaches it-that's Pop" or
that's Republican bill So the matter goes, and
the people, who the bone and the nerve and
sinew of the country, beaten out of legislation
which would bless their homes all because lot of
political demagogues let partisanship control their
better judgment; and
Whereas, The people are looking to the legislators
for good laws which will make their burdens lighter
and life happier, and the members of this House
know that politics and the name Of an introducer
of a bill, though it might be all that heaven could
wish, too often defeats it; therefore, be it
Resolved That the name of the introducer of a
bill be omitted from this time and all names thus
far on bills introduced be taken off in order that we
may come at a more honest disposal of all bills
which may come before this House.
There is more horse in that proposition than
we usually find in the outpourings of a Kansas re-
former. The language in which it is expressed is
rather sinuous and contored like barbed wire fence
after Kansas zephyr has blown through it. but for
all that it be readily understood The gentleman
wishes all bills to stand their merits, and
conplish that he is willing sacrifice the blooming
ambition of every legislator who delights to see his
name attached to BILL and who usually thinks he
has achieved much for his constituents when he can
boast that he has introduced more bills than any
other man of his weight in either House
OF course legislation be made strictly
anonymous If the authorship of bill were ever in
doubt it would be easy to raise the rascal or the
statesman by simply moving to lay the bill on the
table. He would rise at once, and the howl of him
would say palmer than print That is my BILL -
Nevertheless the thing is worth trying and we trust
Kansas will do so. Anything that tends to obscure
the average legislator is commendable and all the
more commendable if the legislator happens to be a
Kansan with wild desire to have his name on as
many bills as there hairs in his wtskers.