The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-08

with too much legsation--an ever increas- ing flood of local. private and general laws-destroying all uniformity and har- mony in the law itself, till in the multipli- city of statutes the citizen is vexed, harrassed and confused. Yet, this wise tendency, so clearly manifested in all modern constitutions, to check the ever increasing volume of laws on every con ceivable subject, is now to be denounced as a political blunder and pernicious leg islative activity is to be supplemented by laws enacted by the direct vote of the people. If nasty, ill advised and i'll con sidered legislation still remains as one of the vices of our representative system, notwithstanding all the checks and limta- tions on legislative action found in our state constitutions, it is not the madness Of folly to undertake to supplement the pres- ent Legislative activity by authorizing the making of additional laws by direct vote of the people and without any of the safeguards secured by deliberation, inves- tigation, amendment, debate or consttu- tional restrictions? We may be impatient with our state legislatures. but the rem edy is not to sap or weaken their powers but to elevate their tone and standard, to reorganize them along simpler lines and to make them the real organs of public opinion, checking the evil effects of nasty and i'll considered legislation, but giving expression to the cool, deliberate and ma ture judgment of the people.
 Government Is Biggest Business
 Much has been heard in late years of big business. The biggest business con ducted in this country is that involved in tDa ROVR.,lnpnt Inf inc NalinI1S states. Is it not wise to apply sound business prii1- ciples in administering the affairs of these great public corporations? What would be the fate of any of the great private corporations if their directors, elected Dy the stockholders, representing and legis- lating for them and responsible to them, were discharged and the whole mass of stockholders as body some wise, some foolish, some mere children, many en- tirely ignorant of business principles. few moved by the common good. most ami mated by the desire to secure personal gain, should undertake to direct their policies? In the management of the cor poration good government with the high est returns and the best results, is the object sought to be achieved There can be no difference in kind in the princ- pies applicable to each and experimental policies, dangerous in their tendencies, ought to be as carefully avoided in the one as in the other
 That doubtful political policies ought not to be pursued except in the most cx- treme cases Is sound rule of conduct
 that l would be happy to bring home to every thoughtful and patriotic American citizen. for there is abroad in the land a dangerous tendency which would seek to convert every governmental agency into a political experimental station. Unfor- | tunately. there is toosevident among Nolr
 people a love of novelty and passion for changing customs and destroying old in- sttutions, which would exchange our
 proved and tried systems for, one, which,
 however alluring to the political ,theoidst. has always preceded the fall of stable gov | ernment and the loss of political liberty l Were we without any other remedy. and
 our condition was as deplorable as the popagandists of this new specific for all
 our political ills declare, for my own part
 would hold fast to the faith of the | fathers rather than attempt to upset an
 ancient system hallowed by long use and | deep devotion.'
 "If any proposed reform seeks to weak
 en or overthrow a system whose introduc- | ton has been co-incident with popular lib-
 crty let us not hesitate to give it the