The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-08-30

quality of laws is regarded as the es-
sential requisite; when some of the
temptation to legislate shall be re-
moved by less frequent meetings of
such bodies; when trained official
craftsmen shall be employed to give
the necessary laws legal and literary
form: when executives are forbidden,
rather than encouraged, by public
sentiment to interfere with the order
ly course of law-making-when these
simple steps are taken, it will be per-
missible to look forward with hone to
the times when hysteria, blackmail,
craftsmanship, personal ambitions and
selfish interests will not add ten new
laws to the statute books when only
one Is needed. At all times in history
the safeguards of the law have been
thrown around life and property. AS
the results of the laws, slowly built up
and carefully tested, men have been
able to progress, to command a con-
stantly spreading freedom and to pro-
mote civilization. In the future, as in
the past, the law must recognize what
has been done; 1t must look forward
continually to the protection of men
from violence and anarchy, and their
property from spoilation. This can
best be done by having few and just
laws, and by grounding them upon
principles and doctrines which have
commended themselves to mankind.
If the i'll effects of idle and mis-
chievous over-legislation manifested
themselves only in the belittled char
acter of our law-making bodies, the
result would still be deplorable. But
they are most apparent, in the attitude
of people which, starting at its own
shadows, comes to depend more and
more upon the so-called strong man;
in that dissatisfaction with courts be-
cause they find temporarily popular
legislation either unconstitutional or
unavoidable along the lines desired;
In the opportunities afforded to the
shallow agitator. the dangerous revo-
lutionist or the opulent demagogue;
and in that inability to think sensibly
and to act with decision in matters of
grave Importance having to do with
the maintenance of our popular insti-
tutions in their pristine purity These
are the vital matters-those which
really cOunt-in the making and the
maintenance of national character, in
the creation of that respect for law
which is always the sheet anchor of
great people, and in conserving that
still more unusual quality of waiting
with patience for the slow and sure
victory which comes with devotion to
fixed principles and policies.
With more than twenty-five thou
sand pages of new laws added to the
statute books each year, it is apparent,
If the suggestions so far made he we'll
founded, that relief is absolutely nee
essary.
During the years between 1899
and 1905. England's parliament. legis-
lating for the needs of forty-two mil
lions of home population, and mil
lions OF dependents, passed an average
of only forty-six general and two hun
dred and forty-six special laws-the
number of the latter being swelled by
the necessity for granting franchises
for railways and charter amendments
for cities. One of the potent elements
in the working out of this to us most
astonishing result, has been the pres
ence of salaried draftsman-a law
yer of RICH repute, we'll paid for his
services-whOse duty it is. not only
to study the phraseology of proposed
laws. but also to make thorough ex-
animation of existing legislation, for
the benefit of parliament and its COM
mittees. The publicity of all commit
tee hearings and the report of their
proceedings in the press have also
contributed much to promote this re-
suit.
While our complicated system of 10