The daily Panhandle. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 1906-19??, 1907-08-27
TALKS TO
LAWYERS
Parker Gives Review Of nit.oF.
Miss and The PfojuSe
Legislation
Special to Daily Panhandle.


a characteristic vein Of tae safe
and sane" nominee of the Demo
cratic nominee In 1904, but the adj
! dress contains an able and forccful
consideration of some tendencies In
American Law and legislation. In
addition to discussing the relation
OF lawyers to the public and to leg
station, Mr.. Parker took occasion to
consider iudicially recent move
ments In legislation and said in part
as follows.
The proper function OF the lcgia-
lator is supplctory 10 that of The
Judge. He should strive to asCer-
tain the growing but imperfect Gus
toms which spring from the effort
OF people to correct errors. and
give To the dignity and force OF law
This he often attempts to do, aud
frequently succeeds. But tAe task
of even the wise legislator is bcsct
with difficulties So many bills press
upon his attention, that II ne had
the wisdom Of solomon he could not
master them In one short session.
Many such bills arc introduced by
men who do not understand them.
merely that they may gain the ap-
plause OF the thoughtless OF the en-
vious. Others are strike bills press
cd in thee hope Of unlawful gain.
still others are presented from hon
est motives. but with no appreciation
that their enactment will, work in
jury while still more represent the
effort NJ unframed legislators to
enact into law what they mistakenly
conceive 10 he the will OF the people.
Political Bills Arc Mischevious.
More m,scYeYious ssh. Az a rule.
are the bills pressed FOR passage in
tho interests Of a political organiza-
ton. Experience teaches that com.
parativcly few OF the many bills OF
"a legislative session are carefully
considered by the hody rs a whole.
Such consideration as the average
bill has IL IN committee. and too
often the majority OF that committee
is Influenced nv party organization,
ar by the governor, or by some 9th
or leader who sces in II party or
fractional advantage. And its final
enactment is secured nv the same In.
ilucncc that moved the majority 10
report 1t. In other words. supposed
advantage, either for tho party or
individual members OF II, Is often
made the occasion for statutes which
othcrNis" would never appear on
tn" statute books. Thus It happens
that every year many statutes are
passed which ought never to have
been heard Of
Unnecessary Laws .trr Riots.
Every Unnecessary and unwise stat
ute Is a blot upon the state cs.
'uttchcon and burden upon the
public. This fact is so we'll appre-
oiatcd In some states. that the legis-
laiure Is NOT permitted TO meet every
year, An Illustration Of the opinion
of lawyer. upon whom a. governor
rested the rcSponsihility OF the OK
crcise of the veto power as 10 many
bills passed only this year by the
legislature Of Tho state of New York.
r. found tn he fact that he vetoed
lhlrtl-Se'on .aused one hundred and !
nincty-scycn 20 he Withdrawn. and
permitted mo hundred aud fifty 10 !
die for lack NJ his signature. making
q total Of four hundred and eighty I.
four bills 0hich. after passage
through committees and both houses.
failed nevertheless to become laws
because Of ne governors action.
While IL Is true that some whole |
some and necessary statutes come |
cut OF such conditions like those I !
have outlined 10 more instances I'M
Necessary or positively had ones /
spring from them.
Tney che dsnagosuesl. TILED ,bs |
land With deaunciation not only Of !
those who Rad been uronxdoe-s hut
~ al corporate Interests OF every /
kind. 70 mattsred no, to them that 1
the great trunk lines 81 railroad I
contributing 80 largely 10 the mag
and Uniform Development OF .
the country. no street surface rail ]
roads. adding . largely 20 the CON- 7
tort and convenience OF a vast con
a. -r~s ~ NM -o,ufa.f,r she rre,. j