The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1935-05-09
THE NORTH CAROLINA LEGISLATURE

The North Carolina Legislature threat
ems to adjourn by the end OF TINS "eeh'
which is the best North Carolina news that
has come through in four months. Inc
people of the state challenge the LeglSisl-
ture to make good but fear that 1t VIII
not do so.
If and when the Legislature adJournS'
IN army of LOBBYISTS will be released from
service in Raleigh and there will be some
additions to the States relief rolls unless
orrangements are made to have them
ioined I'D with the Presidents spending
program
II seems that lobbyists have become
necessity in Raleigh when the Legislature
Is in session. The people of the State can
never tell what Legislature is going to
do. after it has been elected, and so it IS
necessary to send lobbyists to the capital
to tell it what to do. 1t has been found by
experience that lobbyists some times serve
q useful purpose and prevent legislators
from doing the foolish things they plan.
The present Legislature is one OF the hnest
examples of this the State has seen IN years
The Legislature, of course, has had to
face a number of problems and difficulties
and the public has been considerable and
patient with the lawmakers; but the aver
age North Carolinian has been able to see
through all along without the slightest dit
fcultv what appeared to be a'deep, dark
mystery to the legislators-and that is, II
they had taken sixty days to prepare ana
pass the legislation necessary to finance
the States operations, and then adjourned
without enacting single law, the highest
and best interests of the entire State woulo
have been served aid the Legislature OIL
1885 would have been enrolled IN history
as probably the ablest and wisest that ever
sat in the State house.
On the whole this Legislature has not
made a record to brag about. 1t mas been
vacillating and uncertain and more con-
spicuous for webbing than for steering a
straight course. 1t has made some serious
mistakes-nearly all of them mistakes OF
omission. Several mistakes of commission
were reconsidered on succeeding days, and
repealed.
Legislatures pass too many laws. This
APPLIES with particular force to local laws.
AS a rule these are trivial many of them
relate to matters which are not properly
subject to legislative action; some times
local bills are spite" bills, or they seek to
circumvent the will of majority of the
voters. Probably SO per cent. of North
Cardinals local legislation should never be
enacted and about the same proportion of
Statewide laws are in the same class.
This leads inevitably to the conclusion that
what the State needs is not more and worse
legislation but less and better legislation.
Few laws, better laws and better enforce
ment would make North Carolina outstand-
ing among the AZ States. And, of course.
there are several thousand laws on the
books which ought to be repealed. This
Legislature could proftably spend next
week in Raleigh repeating laws.
All of which merely brings us back to
the announcement that the Legislature
hopes to adjourn this week-and if it does,
there will be real challenge to the people
of this State to>change Thanksgiving Day
from November to May.
Research raveals that New ENGLAND cod