The evening times., 1900-04-28

The bill introduced by Mr. Smith of Ken
tueky providing for a codihcstion and re-
vision Of all the laws OF the United states
Of permanent and general character was
passed by the House this afternoon
The first section Of the bill p.o-
vides That the commissioners hereto
fore appointed in pursuance Of an &C. CT
Congress entitled An act making appro-
priations for sundry civil expenses Of The
Government for the fiscal year ending June
30. 1888. and for other purposes. approv-
ed June 4, 1897, TO revise and eodify tie
criminal and penal laws Of the United
States be. and they are hereby. directed 10
revise and eodify. Ia accordance with the
terms and provisions OF said act and The
act supplementary thereto, ali laws OF ths
United States OF a permanent and gen
eral nature in foTee az the time when he
same shall be reported"
Section provides --ThSt the saI1
commissioners shall arrange such 1s-
vision and titles, chapters, ard sections,
or other suitable divisions and sub-divIs-
ions, with head notes briefly expressive q
The matter contained in such division. and
with marginal notes so drawn as TO point
70 the contents OF the text and with ref
erences 10 the original text from which
each section IS compiled and to the de-
eisions OF the courts OF the United States
explaining OF constituting the same. ard
also 10 such decisions OF the State courts
as they may deem eXpedient; and they
sHall provide by an index fC- an easy REF
erence 10 every portion Of such revision
The amendment reported by the CON-
mittee strikes from the above section tne
clause and also 10 such decisions OF tie
state courts IS they may deem expedient-'
The last revision Of the statutes OF he
United States embraces only the general
laws IN force On the Ist day OF December,
1873 In 1875 an edition was published IN
der the editorshIp OF George : Boutwell,
which Includes. By text or reference. the
general laws enacted from December /
1873, TO March 3. 1877 inclusive Since
then there has been published the second
edition OF a supplement 70 the Revised
Statutes. which is neither a revision nor
q consolidation Of the statutes. but re-
production OF the general laws enacted
from the passage Of the Revised Statues
20 and including March 3 1881 The ge--
eral laws enacted since March 3. 1891. can
be found only by laborious. tedious. and
perplexiug search through the session Laws
published since that time and in order 10
--=Nc- te-A-- ~ --E--Ae- 4 SELEl1- IAN dLDEa4l
in the revision or supplement has been
amended or repealed. IL IS nov necessary
that those session laws be carefully exam
ined.
There are upon the statute books OF The
United States a large number OF provisions
that have long since performed their Offices
or were adapted 10 conditions that have
ceased 10 exist The retention Of such pro-
visions IS cumbersome and confusing and
the committee has reported that they
should Be eliminated
The report Of the committee re
cites that; The commissioners upon
whom the bill imposes the duty OF revising
and codIfying all general and permanent
laws OF the United States were appointed
by virtue Of an act approved June 4. 1897.
providing FOR commissioners 10 revise and
cOdify the criminal and penal laws OF tbs
United States.
BY subsequent act the commissioners
we're required 10 revise and codify al laws
relating 10 the organization. jurisdiction.
and practice OF the courts OF the United
States. In order that the commissioners
make the two separate provisions now pro-
vided for one OF the criminal and penal
laws. and the other of the laws relating 70
the organization. jurisdiction and practice
Of the courts Of the United States. il will be
necessary for them to carefully examine
and consider every general law OF the
United States IL Will require but little. Z
any. more time and labor for them 10 make
one general revision than il viii 70 make
the two separate revisiOBs. The cost OF
The general revision viii be but little. II
any more than the cost Of the two sepa-
rate reviSiOus. and il will be much more
convenient and desi able Further u
there Is not a general revision. but in lieu
thereof. the TWO separate revisions above
mentioned IL viii be only a short time ur-
I'll there VIII necessarily be third sepa-
rate revision. that Of the civil laws OF the
United States. making three separate and
distinct -evisions OF the laws OF the init
ed States. and at a greater cost than would
h one simple. symmetrical. coherent. and
complete revision and much less conven-
lent and desirable