San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-19
SAYS WAY Of
MAKING STATE
LAWS ABSURD
Legislature Controlled by
IL Men; Others rabbit
Chasers," "Hillbillies."
MUST BE STOPPED
Is Becoming Detrimental
to Business, Hull Young
blood Declares.

"The method by which our state
laws are passed is absurd, ridiculous
'xand beyond comprehension" said Hull
Youngblood, director of the Southern
Steel Company, of San Antonio in
an address before the Craftsmanship
club at the Gunter hotel Wednesday
noon. There are twelve men who
control the legislature, he said, aud
the rest are rabbit chasers" and
"hillbillies." These statements were
made when speaking on politics and
the salesman. He diI not say who
the twelve controlling the legisa-
ure are.
In explaining the relationship of
statesmen to politics, Mr.. Young
blood said that in law is the foun-
dation of business and unless the pub
lie elects intelligent men to the legis-
lature the time will soon come when
it will be almost impossible to con-
duct a business for fear of getting
into trouble by violating some of the
petty laws which have been passed by
men who do not vote intelligently.
That the legislature is controlled
by twelce men and that the majority
of the representatives do not vote in
diligently is information gathered
by Mr.. Youngblood when. in Austin
for several weeks recently, he said.
Says Money Controls Legislature.
He said he had visited the legisla-
ture and had investigated how laws
were passed. He said that there was
a small group of men who told the
other members of the Legislature how
to vote. He stated that if a large
concern desired a law passed for its
own personal business interests that
all it had to do was put the money
on the barrel head" and "the dogs
would lap it up and go on away" He
said the whole Legislature was a
"mess" and that it was menace to
the state and to the welfare of the
people.
When voting for a law the sena-
tors who apparently are uneducated
beyond the teachings of high school
and incidentally many. of them look
like they have just graduated from
!, high school, they -se judgment that is
influenced by other minds. One of
the twelve men says vote one way
and the rabbit chasers" vote that
way. The majority of the senator's
vote for a bill they have never heard
read. They vote for it because the
"boss" tells them to, he said. The
"boss" can be any represents tive who
will invite the other members of the
Legislature who might happen to OPP
pose his bill, to a party" preceding
the session OF the Legislature, while
liquor is drunk and "taffy is fed"
Method Is Absurd.
Men," he declared, "it is absurd,
ridiculous and beyond comprehension
the way in which our laws are pass
ed in Austin. If the present method
is not stopped and another installed
it will be lext to impossible to open
a new business or enlarge one with
out fear of treading ON forbidden
ground or violating laws which have
passed by these "shirt tail" senator's.
"They came near passing law
recently in the Legislature which GER
tainly would have caused trouble
throughout the state. This was a
bill, if enacted, would have prevented
railroads from using troops to pro-
tect themselves during |. strike. The
bill passed the first and secoLd read
ings and if it had not been cur
tailed at the third reading there
probably would have been considerable
trouble"
Makes Some Suggestions.
Mr.. Youngbiood followed by tell
ing Of several more instances where
"fool" laws have been and are being
passed in the Legislature. He con-
cluded his speech, which many men,
bers of the craftsmanship club de-
clared was one of the best they had
ever beard at a luncheon club, by
making suggestions which put the
statesmen to thinking and started con-
siderable discussion around the ia
NSNf His suggestion was that a
handsome salary be offered a men,
Der of the Legislature so a good man
would have the job, that responsible
and intelligent men be elected, that
when a bill is brought before the
house that it should not be passed
in a day, but that it should be dis
cussed thoroughly for a length of
time. He urged the statesmen not to
talk politics but to talk Of improve
ments for, he said, there is plenty Of
room for them in the Legislature as
well as in our city government. Then