Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-12-01

to the legislator Is clippings from
newspapers, magazines and books.
These are important in giving deci-
sions as to the working Of the laws;
their strength, and weakness and gen.
orally when taken from our standard.
magazines they contain expert opin.
ions conc corning these laws. Briefly
considering the third main division we
can see that this requires trained law
yers scientif Ideally to draft the bills.
In doing this they have the critical
data at hand and although they draft
the bill for the members OF the Session
and put into it his thoughts and his
whole idea, yet they are careful to
see whether the bill is legally correct.
This third division saves the legis-
lator a great deal OF worry and ex-
pense. He simply comes to the refers
.ence library, gives his ideas, and the
bill is drawn up. i NJ
The Legislative Reference Library
branches out into broader fields and
chisfiy for advertising this department
and also for helping out the coming
generation Of legislators there is a
debating society division in this IL
brary. This phase of the work sends
out material for the debating socIet-
les and helps them select subjects for
their debates. Then it helps other
stats officers in compiling statistics
and gathering data from other states.
The question arises right here,
What can we expect from such a de-
partment?'' First, we may say, it will
make the laws better and put them up
on a more scientific basis. We will
be more careful when law is taken
from another state and know whether
| 1T has been modified or amended dog
ems of times. Secondly we find that
the new states have overloaded their
constitutions for the purpose Of pro
tecting themselves against the caprice
Of the legislator. They do not have
the trust in the legislature that they
should havs, but when the state at
large finds out that the legislators are
careful and that there is a law making
department in our state government
| which is scientifically carried on, then
! the legislator will have the unlimited
confidence of the people Thirdly,
i better law will check the ,centraliza-
ton of federal power We seem to be
4 tending toward centraliZation along all
! lines, and especially at this time is
/ the great hue and cry against great
4 federal control Laws made better
/ and so clear and concise that they
will withstand supreme court decisions
will tend to place more control in the
| hands of the state. In the fourth
place we, find that tbs courts of the
state are called upon very often tt
i render decisions upon the constitution
ality of laws made in the preceding
j SESSION. The courts have enough
4 work to do apart from this and they
4 often defeat their real purpose when
| a great amount of extra legal matter
! Of this kind is placed upon the docket
Prevention is better than cure
/ Lastly, we may say that the refer
i enee library will tend toward stopping
the evils Of lobbying There is good
4 sincere lobbying, which is entirely
i legitimate This library will put in
4 the hands of the legislator facts and
4 figures from which he can defend his
standpoint, and at least know the
whole situation. Many times a lobby
4 list will go before committee and put
forth his side of the question, show.
ing each step by correct statements
and we'll known figures. He has the
committee at a disadvantage, for he
may ask them to point out a flaw or a
misstattment. With no facts before
i them, what can they do? OneNof the
4 duties OF the library is to give them
all the data that they can find upon
the subject and then they can argue
4 intelligent1y upon the question al
\ hand. This would tend to make the
committee more Independent and give