The Coconino sun., 1924-03-21
SECURELY SADDLED WITH
MORE AND WORSE LAWS


The Tucson Citizen commenting on
a Coconino Sun editorial for fewer and
better laws, says:
at is not only that there is null
tiplicity of laws, but that the multi
plicity of bills offered by inexperienc-
ed legislators place a costly burden
upon the legislature. Every bill that
is introduced costs the taxpayers mon
ey, for the more bills there are intro
duced, the more clerical assistance
there is needed. Legislatures often
wrestle for weeks with bills which
have no merit, and ultimately reject
them-but in the meantime they have
piled up an expense bill for the tax
payers.
In our opinion, the evil is this:
That a legislator oftentimes regards
| himself not as the servant of the peo-
pie, but as an inspired law-giver--
the inspiration being largely his own
ego. The evil may be stated-and it
has often been so stated-that men
who are best qualified as legislators
do not run for office. We venture
the opinion that if every county in
the state simultaneously sent to the
legislature its leading citizens, the
| taxpayers would be so delighted with
the result that they would elect no
other kind and that legislating would
soon come to possess a dignity which
would make the office real honor.
What is the remedy? Obviously, to
raise the standard of legislators, but
| before that can be done we must raise
| the standard of citizenship, for the
1 citizen himself is the "raiser" Of
| standards.
| But it is certainly a prospect to at
| tract-the election of legislatures
which would account it as wise to re-
frain from legislating as it sometimes
legislates.
We do not know but that the best
way to summarily approach the ques-
tion would be to elect only dumb can
didates to the legislature, for talking
is the curse of legislatures.
The Sun should keep up its cam
paign, for all it seems to have been
voice crying in the wilderness, but
the only way in which remedy will
ever be applied is through the bitter
/ experience of the voting public. EX
perience that costs something is the
sort that instructs. 1t is clear that
the campaign for fewer laws-carried
on throughout the county in the last
decade-has accomplished nothing as
yet, unless that it has placed the germ
of revolt in the minds of the people,
In our unofficial affairs, we nearly
always entrust our important work to
our leaders, but in politics the offices
mostly go to those who have the gift
of CAB in most highly developed de-
gree. If the Citizen should suggest
that the country send to the next leg
islature, the president of the Rotary
club, the president of the Kiwanis
club, the president of the Lions club,
the president of the Engineers society,
the president of the Chamber of Com
merce, the president of the Woman's
club (and we could not give their
names off-hand) there would be a
/ murmur of dissatisfaction throughout
the county from the politicians and
their satellites and the leaders
themselves would probably utter a
unanimous chorus of objection.
Which shows just how far we are
from the ideal that we day-dream
about but shy at as practical sug-
gestion
We are secure saddled by "poli-
tics"-bitted, belly-banded, surcingled,
and spurred.