The sun., 1900-12-29
TO MAKE STATE Law MORE COMPACT.
Tho statutory Revision Commission VrSe'
Favorable Action by the Newt Iegtslature.

AIpASY Dec. 2S--Gov. Roosevclt- leghl
adviser, Charles l.. Lincoln, "a chairman oil
the state statutory Revision Commia.ion,
has addressed circular letter TO the MEM
ber,-elect Of the Legislature urging tho
favorable consideration Of the revision OF
general laws, which will complete the WORK
of the commission. commenced In 1850. This
work has cost the state s2O0 900 In view OF
the fact that the commission Is to go out oi
existence on Monday next in accordance
with tie law passed by the last Legislature.
Mr. Lincoln In his letter says In elect Una
this revision work viii be as useless. unless
completed at once as has boon the ssOoo'oOo
canal Improvement commenced ia 1888
During the last session OF the Legislature
the new bills codifying laws and those EN-
bracine amendments to laws already oodihed
were 80 numerous that the wheels OF lcgisla-
tion we're Clogged This situation was occa-
stoned mainly because the members had no
time to digest the bills proposed by the COM
mission, and for the further reason that II
was alleged that the existing law had been
changed beyond the scope Of revision. After
the law had been passed GOolshing the COM
MISSION a. result of the DISCUSSION concern
ing a material change in the statute Law IN the
proposed eylsion of the general laws. joint
committee Of the Legislature was appointed
To consider tho various bills prepared by the
Statutory Revision Commission then pending
in the Legislature to the number OF ilityrtWn: ~,
| which committee va, dll eoted 10 report its
CONCLUSIONS to the next Legislature As
senulyman kodenoeck oi hocne.ter wa;
| chosen chairman OF this committee an q
Assemhlyn.an Joseph |. Green OF New iork
'eI h. reyision OF the general laws remainiIg G
! unacted uupn include the Drainage law.
! the Rlll Of Rights. the Court Of claims lay.
! the Educational law, the Prison and WINS WINS
! law the laws apreTtainlng to domestic com
| Iurrce e-tray evidence insolrent debtors,
! tie public health, and highway. municlI AZ
and town laws. The other proi o-eG reyis'oi,I =
! Of general laws covers a revised code OF
| civil Procedure, the justices code, the sur =
| rCgutn code the Jury law, n renrranced Code
q criminal Procedure, a revised genera con,
Ff3cedure iT' a,'d to the New York ,chnTtffr, tho
| Evidence law, a judiciary law. Including tho
| provisions Of tho Code Of Ciyil Procedure
| and other statutes relating 70 courts and the
odminsTEasGn E c OF N9atnrnlStion N9i law
| and vision of he laws touching the stat ul .
| OF limitation. This means that the d,. rex t
! Legislature will be asked to pass upon Nft =
, siy bills Including fourteen general revisions.
. ths remainder being amendments TO the
| iUrty-elsAt laws ALREADY enacted
/ The statutory Revision com! lSsion IN the
'letter 10 the new members OF the Les'slatui
saEs, ..,. ,bo nav, 1ogs,a,,ro y,
| the general revision OF existing laws and
aruendmrrts 20 revised laws already enacted
| We consider necessary 10 ColniIeNo tIe IiAiI
oi rsy -lon commenced ten Years ago.
| we take this occasion 10 urge on the Iegis-
! loture Cf 1901 the importance OF PROMPTLY
| c0mIle'irg the revision OF the statutes. Tho
| fortN eight general laws already enacted in
! clude the revision and repeal ~ about 3.2iQ
| Miscellaneous statutes. besides nearly all
! OF tho Revised Statutes, The consolidation
! and condensation of all these lnwe Into iortN-
eight general laws Ia ~ immense impoTtance
reason. Witch Is easier Tor the busy LAWYER
! or other citizen to try to find the law In forty
eight short compact statutes. or To se9rch
! through $3.50 laws, besides the Revised
The bills remaining 10 be enacted include
| the revision and repeal OF nearly i.oN statutes,
! besides s. 200 sections OF the civil criminal and
! the revision must be manifest to every one
who gives the ctrheattentio on il deserves.
! and IL would be Il serious misfortune 10
! abandon the revision at this stage. The next
| Legislature Is not likely To have before it a
| sub Get Of greater importance than this,
/ for IL must be conceded that a concise and
| convenient body OF general law. accc~ sibl 9
| to all the people, Is Of the highest value IN
| anv well ordered community.
| IL is now more than seventy years since
| the last general revision OF the statutes OF
| enacted substantially as suggested it will
| doubtless stand many years We think
! that the general laws now IN force. including
| the amendments suggested by us In the fore
| laws and codes can all bs published in four
! volumed OF moderate sl2e This cannot be
deemed n large body OF general law for a
| great State like New York The revision IL
fri shsd and tho laws md codes wi all nne d.
| rcu's to dat" published as one body OF law
| II this can DO done tho confession which has
| 10 some extent necessarily existed during tho
progress Of the revision Will cease, and our
general statutcs will be reduced to q syste-
| ingtIo and harmonious form"