Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-12
|SIDEHGHTS on IL
GEORGIA XII
POLITICS *
| by JANIS B. NEYN E%bI

Have we really too much legisla-
ton" Of one sort and another in this
country?
The inquiry is pertinent and timely,
considering the obsessing circum-
| stance that the Georgia Legislature
win gather in Atlanta within four
months. and all varieties and condi-
| tons Of new legislation are being
! proposed.
Instead Of fussng and frittering
away its time over a thousand and
one bills OF relatively small conse-
quence, and thus through enactment
Of a lot Of them cluttering the statute
books with all kinds of amazing new
| laws. would 1t not be the better and
the mere statesmanlke thing for the
Legislature to fix its august attention
upon dozen or so--or. better still,
upon three or four-really big meas
ures. and thrash them out intelll-
gently and helpfuly?
Suppose, for instance. that instead
OF fussing about more prohibition
laws-the State already having on
hand a large excess assortment that
ii seems unable or unwilling to en-
force--the Legislature fixed its mind
upon the genuine reformation of it's
child labor laws. its convict laws, the
disposal of its forthcoming maturing
bonds. and its taxation problems-in-
Guiding the Western and Atlantic
Railroad.
If the Legislature would forget that
II had other business-or might have
other business-and worked to final
and sensible solution the foregoing
problems, would it not be rendering
Georgia a far finer and more patriotic
service than by forever squabbling
over small things and fussing over
extreme points Of view that nine
tenths Of the Legislature, in its heart,
would be heartily glad to get rid OF
for all time?
The Houston POST considering this
matter from the viewpoint Of Texas,
recently set forth some opinions that,
while, perhaps, more or less exagger-
ated in spots, nevertheless depict a
status Of things not far from the I'M
pleasant truth.
The Post says:
In his recent address before the
Bar Association OF New York.
former Chief Justice Cullen, of
the Court of Appeals of that
State, deplored the decline Of per-
sonal liberty in the United States
"To-d day" he said. according TO
the notion of many, If not most
people, liberty is the right Of part
of the people to compel the other
part to do what the first part
thinks the latter ought to do for
its own benefit -.
Never before has a nation
been so thoroughly submerged by
statutes. Beginning with the
nitu
down through the state Legisla-
lures and other lawmaking bod
les the statutes have multiplied
year by year until the personal
freedom of the citizen is but lit
tie more than a myth, Many
people are not satisfied in disre-
garding the principle of local self
government as II applies to the
smaller subdivisions of the States,
but they have exhibited an
amazing eagerness to surrender
even for the purpose of enforcing
their conceptions of human vir-
tue upon people living thousands
Of miles away
The Georgia Legislature might take
to heart, perhaps, with profit to it
self the foregoing from The Houston
Post
VI lale years lne Georgia ldWHldk-
ing body has shown a growing ten
dency to fuss and fume over trifles
many times multiplied, rather than to
devote itself to real constructive leg
isiation.
The present Legislature made q
good final record last summer-after
must waste of time In the beginning,
nevertheless-and it ought to COM
plete that good record this summer by
enacting a few genuinely big reforms,
the while it let's the small-fry politi
clans go hang!
Judge William B. Moore, OF F'itZ-
gerald, is a candidate for the Leg
islature, and is looked upon by his
friends as a most likely winner.
lie is one of the leading Confeder
ate veterans of the State, and is par
ticularly popular with the many Union
veterans TO be found In Fitzgerald |
Indeed, il is predicted that he viii re
ceiye, as a sort Of substantial start |
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