The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-08-31

there is probably no other class of off
Gals, and no form of action, which more
surely produces contempt for law wheth-
er new or old, than those inherent in
spurtS among prosecutors.
Cases of Reverse Action.
In some instances the opposite of the IL
lustration just cited may be found. An
official may insist that il is no part, either
of his duty or that of the law, to proceed
except where he is fairly assured of his
ability to prove every charge, and to as
sure conviction He may have the old
fashioned idea that II is discreditable to
indiCt without reasonable evidence of
guilt merely because some ignorant, ire
sponsible agitator. or hysterical victim;
or a newspaper, may suggest or demand
it, This is apt to produce it's supply of
new bills at the succeeding session of the
legislature. some of which may pass the
scrutiny of a careless or an aspiring gov
ernor
Another favorite form of legislation is
that for the benefit, or at the behOof of, a
party. The continual tamperng with cleo
ton laws and regulations; the creation of
useless offices, political or judicial; cru
SadeS against or faVOrS conferred upon
corporations or interests; the reOrganiza-
ton of city governments; the legislation
of one class of officials out of office, in
order to put another in; the institution of
"A state constabulary for the purpose of
controlling the police of great cities for
party or personal. purposes; the fitting
against opponents, a process common TO
many legislative bodies-all these are pro-
ductive of such infinite and far-reaching
harm as to emphasize the doctrine that
no partisan legislation, either proposed
before the bodies themselves or pushed in
their committees. or enacted into law, can
be fair just or enduring.
Arbitrary Powers of Speakers.
The forms of legislative waste here
enumerated. and the causes which pro-
mote them serve to show WHY IL is that
an almost complete change has come over
the character of our legislative bodies.
Their presence gives speakers almost arbi-
trary power, makes committees into a
new form or tyrant, develops mana cement
and intrigue into fine arts, produces
bosses as a natural result, and while
keeping the larger men out of legislative
halls, puts small ones into their places.
Log-rolling becomes necessity. and mis-
chievouS or useless bills pass easily and
almost by sufferance. The existence of
these elements also promotes conflict be-
tween urban and rural interests in the
hope that one or the other may escape a
fair share of that taxation which always
grows as the result of such dangerous
rivalry.
All in all. these conditions interfere con-
tinually with the orderliness and the dig
nifty, with the purity and the wholesome
ness: of our boosted democratic life. Our
whole system of government tends TO con-
gestion-so far as it's public channels are
commemorative laws passed in foolish
ness or wantonness. and without respect
to the need for them.
Extra Work for Jurists.
1t is not alone in the domain OF law
making and the legislator that these
abuses are potent. They add 10 the Ia
Dor of the judiciary Upon it is thrown
for adjudication. year after year, a body
o. work absolutely unnecessary and at
great expense to the public and often to
private individuals The constitutionality
of much of this new legislation is con-
tinually questioned 60 true is this that