Year: 1879


State-but in increasing the usefulness OF
our Legislators.


1t would take away, to large extent, all
motive to serve in tho Legislature, not de
r1vable from desire to advance the public
good. Members would be elected rather in
obedience to conviction on the part of the
people that they had the capacity and the
will to serve them faithfully and well, than
as a result of persistent electioneering
and the scheming and trickery of political
managers. They would 60 to the Capital
with well studied measures necessary for
the public good, and prepared for early &C
ton on measures presented by others. In
two weeks, generally, and in month in
extraordinary occasions, the Legislature
will have performed its whole duty and
be ready for adjournment. The weeks
now wasted, in the beginning of each ses-
sion of the Legislature, in purely partisan
consultations, would be saved, and we would
find the two houses organized and the COM
mittees at work on the second or third
day of the session. The members, having
no other inducement to remain at the Cap
ital than to discharge the public duties with
which they are intrusted, would 60 to work,
and when the needed measures were passed
would adjourn and go home. The great
curse of this State-and of all States
overSlegislation, would be removed. The
immense mass of local and special legisla-
tion which now encumbers our statute
books would be swept away, and their place
supplied by one or two general statutes so
framed as to render unnecessary any sort of
local or special enactmonts.


If it were known generally what confu-
sion, doubt and uncertainty has been oc-
casoned by the many statutes which have
been passed since the adoption of the Code
of 1871, the full extent of the evil of over
legislation would cause the people to de-
mand reform which would correct this
enormous evil. The Supreme Court of the
State four years ago-three years after the
adoption of the Code-felt bound to say
that the revenue laws were so confused as
to be incapable of certain Interpretation.
The lawyers confess they are unable to as
certain, in many instances, what the statute
law of the State is. And yet, by neces>
sary rule, every man is bound to know
the law and ignorance of it is no ex-
cuse in any case whatever. The stat
utes are supposed to be the will of the
people of the State-the result of their in
telligent demand for their enactment-yet
this will, through supertlous and hasty leg
lslation, is unknown to its supposed authors,
and incapable of being ascertained by those
who are to enforce it.


1t was esteemed a great crime in that
Roman Emperor who caused the laws to be
written in characters so small, on tablets
hung up so high, that the people could not
read them. Is it less crime that the laws
should be enacted in such manner that
when read they can not be understood


The laws should be few and simple-they
will never become so, so long as incompe-
tent or selfish men are allowed to frame
them.


The services of members of the Boards
of Supervisors need not exceed fifteen or
twenty days annually. This service is no
more burdensome when the expenses of the
are provided for, than service on
he public highway as overseer Or laborer
or the ten days required by law. Besides,
his Office is highly honorable and respon-
Jible position, and should be filled by the
pest business men in the county Is it true
hat there is any citizen and taxpayer who
would not be willing to give of his time
md talents sufficiency to secure an honest
md economical administration of the affairs
If his countyP The compensation of the
members is now small, insufficient to at
ract any competent man to the service, if
be his object, yet sufficiently
arge to attract those whose public service
hould be restricted to labor in reforms
tory and penitential institution.