The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1916-10-18
TOO MUCH LAW.

journal gives space to one Of the most
important topics of the present day
in well balanced discussion of cur
surplus OF laws. He says:
1--WE are nation Of lawmakers.
Other countries proceed with caution
in adding to the annual output of laws,
but America works its Legislative ma
chinery overtime. 1t is a national
falling which at present seems in
eradicable. We have laws on every
conceivable subject-laws that are
statutory repetitiGns and laws that
are statutory contradictions, laws that
tit particular conditions in one state
and do not fit similar conditions in
others. A vast amount of so-called
constructive legislation which nobody
can possibly use represents the cumu-
lative wisdom OF the Unsuitable law
making power Then we have what
might be properly classed as individ-
ual or specific legisiarIon-laws pass
ed to meet particular emergency and
retained after the emergency disap-
pears. In fine, our law-books are clut-
tered with useless statutes and an
earnest weeding-out process would
produce decidedly beneficial results.
GLOW great is the extent of our Of
in 1n AF
necessary laws is shown by a recent
statistical report of the field secretary
of Chamber of Commerce of the United
States. Mr.. Trefz, the secretary, finds
that Congress and the state legisla-
lures are making laws at the rate of
10000 per year. In five years the
American output has been 62,250 laws.
During the same period the British
Parliament passed 1900 statutes.
1.-THE figures indict American intel
ligence. There can be no real neces-
sity for twelve thousand changes each
year in the legislative policies of the
states and nation. However, the fault
probably lies with the people them
selves. There is a tendency to~meas-
ure the value of legislator to his
people by the number Of laws he sue
ceeds in getting through. The law
maker who kills bills is less honored
than the so!on who passed them. Yet
the first service is often of consider
ably more Importance to the people
than the second.
at is a fact that will permit of no
denial that the members of the leg
islature who is able, at the end of his
term, to present a long record of
statutes bearing his name is account
cd faithful and jealous public serv-
ant, while the solon who has confined
lis official activities to defeating leg
islation finds his motives misunder-
stood and his fidelity to the public
interest questioned. Consequently,
there are very few bill destroyers and
many, many bill passers i'm, our legis-
lative bodies.
''EXpunging from the statute books
unnecessary laws is quite as impor-
tant as enacting needed legislation.
1t would be radical step to take, per
haps, but if one session of every legis-
lature could be set apart for the Grad
ication of useless statutes, society
would benefit wonderfully Or one
third of each session might be dedi-
Gated to that purpose. There are vol
umes of enactments that could be
stricken from the American law books
with small loss to any person or in
terest.
eve need laws for the government
Of society but at the rate we are 60
ing. freedom of action will soon be so
thoroughly circumscribed that we will
have to so to the statute books to
End out if the simplest human action
is lawful"