Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1907-06-16
TONE UP pusLlc SENTIMENT.


The very first law enacted by the
late Legislature to go before the
courts was found to be defective and
its operation stayed for sixty days
on that account. 1t was the act in
regard to applicants for admission to
the bar being examined by the SUI
preme court. The words that usually
are attached to acts, ito take effect
upon approval by the Governor" we're
omitted Jacksonville Metropolis.
Did it occur to The Metropolis that
1.-THE words that usually are attached
to acts" might have been purposely
omitted by the introducer of the
bin The bill was introduced by Hon.
sgd I. Carter of Gainesville, law
yer Of statewide reputation, and it
seems only fair to assume that he
was pretty we'll up to what he was
doing. Under the provisions of the
constitution legislative enactments be
come effective sixty days after the
final adjournment of the Legislature
at which they we're passed unless
otherwise specially provided in such
law" We beg to suggest TO our
metropolitan contemporary that in all
probability Judge Carter, in the
course of his long and active practice
at the bar. had learned of this consti-
tutional provision and preferred to
have his bill become operative under
1t. 1t is barely possible that the Judge
thought it best to give the supreme
court justices, who are the examiners
under the new law, a little time to
prepare uniform method Of exami-
nation, and itTmay be that he thought
it but an act of fairness to the stu
dents. of the law department Of Stet-
son University who are to graduate
during this month to allow them to |
be admitted 70 practice under the
conditions that obtained at the
time of their entry at the university. |
So It may be seen that the legislator
is very often moved by considerations
Of fairness and good policy that are
likely to be lost on the outsider UNI
less the outsider be much closer
student of legislative procedure and
than our contemporary
shows himself to. be in the poorly
founded paragraph that heads this
article.
While we are on the subject II may
not be amiss to suggest to those Of
our contemporaries who are inclined
to overindulge in nagging and petty
that they are not making
for improved conditions in the legis-
lative department of our State. The
legislator. more perhaps than any
other public servant, is the creature
and exemplifier OF his environment.
He may. at times, rise above or fall
below the standard set by public senti-
ment in HIS bailiwick, but In the main
be hews close to the line. Il is clear,
therefore. that the way to have broad
gagged legislators is TO build up
public sentiment. This
cannot be done by nagging and nip.
ping and petty fault-nnding or by
sweeping denunciation. Such is the
method OF the rabble. and, so far as
we know, history does not record
single instance where the rabble has
brought about healthy change IN
public sentiment.
II the Legislature that adjourned
On May S1st had faults LET them be
pointed out by the press IN a manner
that win carry conviction 10 the
public mind. The legislator win be
quick enough TO respond to changed
public sentiment
The above is from The starke Tele-
graph. whose editor presided over
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