Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1925-06-26
FEWER LAWS
THE BETTER
Senator Byrd Expresses Opposition to
Too Much Law Enactment

State Senator Harry F. Byrd, in
speech in Palmyra Monday to large
and enthusiastic crowd, declared il |
elected governor he will try to dis
courage the passage of any law un-
less convinced there is a real neces-
sity to be served He made this
statement in declaring his desire to
check the mania of legislation and
the belief that the passing of laws
is panacea for all evils.
Mr.. Byrd also cited the fact that
Senator Mapp has proposed 176 new
laws while in the State Senate. If
other State Senators had been as
active as Mr.. Mapp, he said, and
their bills enacted. the state would
have had 7,04O new laws, enough
to fill 70,400 pages of law books.
In the course of his address, Mr..
Byrd said:
I'm a recent communication from
supporter of Mr.. Mapp published
in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, 1
was taken to task because as a mem
Der of the Senate 1 introduced very
few bills, while Mr. Mapp had in
Etroduced many.
/ Mapp Proposed 176 Laws
'Mr. Mapp himself in a recent pub
lie communication pointed with pride
to the fact that in his Senatorial ca
reer he proposed 176 new laws. This
is no idle boast on the part of Mr..
Mapp, but is borne out by the rec
, ords of the Senate. 1t is only Just
to say that Senator Mapp's capacity
for proposing laws is concededly
greater than those of any of his con-
temporaries.
:. Senator Mapp not only believes in
laws, but he enthusiastically believes
. in plenty of laws. If the other 80
/, members of the Senate had been
equally Industrious in introducing
laws and all had passed, we would
. have added to the statue books OF
/ Virginia during this period 7O40 new
laws, or at an average of ten pages
to each law, we would have had new
laws of 70,400 pages.
IF as a mere Senator, Mr.. Mapp
, wanted 1,760 pages of new laws, IL
, is difficult for the mind to conceive
of the number of laws he would pro-
pose If governor.
Fewer Laws, the Better
Il am compelled to admit that this
, criticism of me by the correspondent
of the Times-Dispatch is just. ]
have offered very few laws l went
to the Senate with the conviction
that the fewer laws, the better, and
this conviction was greatly strength
r ened by my public service. believed
+ then, as believe now, that we should
enforce the present laws before add
ing others, except in the case of OBJ
vious necessity. 1 have always been
of the opinion that no law should be
I enacted unless it has the sanction
of real necessity.
' THE Richmond Times-Dispatch
in forceful editorial on the sub
, ject of the Mania for Legislation,
+ calls attention to the fact that there
exists in liberty-loving America to-
day more than 5,55O,0O0 leg
? dont's' to mind, many of whichc the
average citizen does not even know
, the existence. In addition to the
other obvious evils of this legislative
mania, this editorial points out that
that the average cost of sinaris TT
ling fnot enforoi1eb state law on
the statute books is $4,000. In adj
acton, there is the great cost of en-
forcing these petty regulatory laws.
There is a great deal of truth in
the maxim, that seems now to be
much disregarded, that the people
who are the least governed are the
best governed.
Majority Business Men Honest
Especially do l think that the
business of the country should not
be unnecessarily hampered by re-
strictive laws. An enormous major
ity of our business men are honest,
and over regulation works infinitely
more harm than good.
"A great man once said, There are
good many kinds of bad govern
ment, but about the worst is a gov
eminent by busybodies'
That form of petty tyranny
which consists of thrusting a lot of
political Paul Pry's into every mans
business is a real hindrance to hon
est business men, besides being an
lintolerable nuisance.
Believing as l do that the foun-
dation of government depends upon
obedience to constituted authority.
the enactment of needless regulatory
legislation often unknown to the
public, breeds disrespect for the
enforcement of those basic laws es-
sential to the peaceful and orderly
conduct of our country.
Il have no 176 new laws up my
sleeve. On the contrary, I will dis
courage, if elected. the passage of
any laws unless l am convinced that
there is a real necessity to be served.
AS practical business man, this
mania for legislation and the belief
ON the part of some that passing