The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-31
Abolish the statutory Revision Com
mission.

In Nav, 1899, the Legislature OF this
state passed a bill entitled IAN Act to pro-
vide for the revision and consolidation or
certain OF the General Statutes OF this
State" providing for the appointment by
the Governor Of three Commissioner To
prepare and report to the Legislature bills
for the consolidation and revision OF the
General Statutes Of the State. In the fol-
lowing year an act was passed making IN
appropriation for the continuance OF the
work Of these Commissioners OF Statutory
Revision.
In June, 1895, an act was passed order
ing the Governor to appoint three members
of the la. to examine and report to the
Legislature in what respects the Code OF
Civil Procedure could be revised and con-
densrd.
The three Commissioners OF Statutory
Revision, appointed pursuant to the pro-
visions of the Act Of 1889, are o
CHARLES 4. LINCOLN Of Little Falls. MIR.
NoRTHRop Of Syracuse and Mr.. JOHNSON
of Onronta. and the same persons
are the commissioners OF Code Revision.
These Commissioners have continued IN
Office some eleven years, and their work
has been worse than useless. The
direct cost 10 the State Of New YORK
for salaries, clerk hire and expenses
OF the commission amounted on Dec. 81
last to s2O3,O77.sS, and It is impossible to
estimate what has been the Indirect cost
and damage to the> State and to the bar.
Their work has been wretched in the
extreme. They have produced ffty-two
general laws and 6S7 amendments OF and
corrections thereto made necessary by their
initial laundering and carelessness
These a%mendatory acts in 1899 made up
81 per cent. of the avs passed that year.
These Commissioners have proposed at
this session OF the Legislature forty-one
bills, some four or five 81 which are re-
enactments Of general statutes already
passed by the Legislature, and among
these forty-one bills are eleven bills
which cover the law and prac-
tice now embraced and found in
the Code Of Civil Procedure, the Code Of
Criminal Procedure and the Penal Code.
The Commissioners dissect and disinte-
crate our Code OF Civil Procedure. and pro-
pose to make three separate acts out Of the
existing code with many foolish and un-
necessary alterations,
The Commissioners ask for s22 900 for
their expenses for the coming year. and
desire 10 be continued in office until the
meeting Of the next Legislature.
Bills have been introduced In the Sem
ate and in the Assembly for the sboli-
ton of the offices Of Commissioners OF
Statutory Revision and OF Commission
ers u Code Revision, and the bar Of
the state is practically unanimous in
advocating the Immediate abolition OF these
commissions. The constant dickorlng with
statute law and with cod : by rar"lesS and
incompetent ~revisers merely serves to
annoy and harass the members " the
bar and litigants, and is productive only OF
confusion and expense, The state could
better AFFORD to pay these men to do moth
ing. than to- allow them to continue to
draw salaries and incur expenses for care
less and damaging interference with
existing law.
The Association Of the Bar Of this city
has taken vigorous and decided action in
favor of the proposed abolition Of the COM
mission, and action to the same end has
been taken by the bar associations Of
Brooklyn and Of Westchester county: the
bar of Buffalo and that Of Rochester have
also Joined in the movement.
The hill which was introduced 10y Mr..
ELsBERG in the senate is now on the order
Of the third reading, while the Assembly
bill just reported from the Rules Com
mitteo * now on the order of the second
reading, but a. III" Legislature will adjourn
within a few days, a special message from
the Governor tot the Legislature. urging the
immediate passag" of either the Senate bill
or the Assembly bill, is needed to achieve
che end desired.