The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-03-20
IN THE CAUSE OF GOOD LEGIs-
 LAYTON.

of New York has been organized. It's purpose is to spread information as to legislation which may be proposed or is under consideration. It will serve no political party and will be absolutely Independent. It will initiate no legislation of it's own. It will not work for or against the passage of any measure. It will conhne itself entirely to securing the utmost publicity to tine purpose of bills, hidden or obvious, in the hope that an aroused public opin- ion will come into force in influencing the Legislature. The above sub stantially is the language used in de- scribing the purposes of the organiza- ton to the Governor, by R. Fulton Cutting, who, if not the leader is at least prominent leader i'll the move ment. Governor Hughes is in hearty sympathy with the plan, as he makes plain in his answer to the letter of MT. Cutting.
 Such organization, if held strictly within the lines as laid down above, will be of incalculable value to the citizens of New York. It's work will be of great value to the honest legis- lator, whQ earnestly desires and in- tends t6 be on the right side of every upon his file of a thousand bills, not sufficient time in that given him for heliberation to inform himself inti- mately as to all. Nor less important will that work be in contributing to an active and healthy public opinion with it's due influence in legislative halls.
 In many sessions of the Legislature bills are passed or defeated of which the legislators as a whole and the pub lie have had little knowledge, It is under these conditions that laws which grant undue privileges, or becloud and divert the public in tention expressed in statute, have found place on the statute books and have defeated or modified the pub lie will
 There is an excellent instance of this ! in the public service bilr' now under lconsideration, or such consideration as is given to public measures. It Is | attacked, just now, apparently by a combined and organized movement. The charge is made that it is too sweeping in its effects and too drastic 1 in its provisions. Yet sincere study I of it's provisions will show that in the main it Is a re-enactment of measures which have been on the statute books for terms of years ranging from two ! to fifty. What is new in the bill Is principally that on newly constituted boards or commissions is conferred constituting the settled will of the state, can be made effective. This, apparently, is fact generally un- ! known to the public and to the Legis- ! lature.
 What is attacked openly is now statute law The defeat of the bill would not wipe such drastic pro- visions from the statute book. What
 is the real point of attack to wit; the
 means by which the existing statutes can be put in force, and the provisions relating to franchises and stock and bond issues which prevent, for the future, the wrongs of stock juggling and watering is not brought into the flight. The attack is therefore in- 1 direct. In failure to comprehend the bill as 1t is, talere is the danger
 that were 1t to pass, 1t might be in
 such modified form that existing sta tutes were repealed or rendered innoc-
 euous.
 What is true of this instance is true of many bills. Therefore, the Organization with it's purpose, of which
 MT. Cutting, informs the Governor in
 explaining and educating the public
 as to legislation, will perform great tservice to thee ause of good, efficient
 and intelligent legislation. Many a
 bad bill may be killed In them ere un.
 derstanding of it. Many a good bill
 may become law, which otherwise
 would be lost, by mere statement oi
 it's Intent. It is an organization which
 can not get to its work too soon. And
 when that work is summed up at the
 end ia session, 1t will be found again
 that these citizens have been per
 forming unse1fish labor in the cause
 of good citizenship and good govern
 naeut t-Br00k1vn Eagle