Show Ilk k To Too M Many ny Laws 11 I Ii i t y c hundred and sixteen bills bills were wre were I Jr 1 poured into the legislative hoppers on on th the pp opening ing day 0 of the eighth sixty sixty sixty-ei coir congressional r I session SSI Of this number iber r 1 I 1 3 r r the erection rec of pf new public buildings J in various 4 t E q i parts of the thie country so so that it it appears th that t the clamor for economy has not had mu muc much effect on the solons There IS is one one outstanding moral in every session of congress and that is that we have entirely too much legislating In the last sixteen sixteen sixteen six six- teen years congress has proposed some i 79 laws lays In In this period congress and the various state legislatures have enacted laws There seems to be no limit to the capacity of the legislative hoppers since a single state legi legislature lature has been known wn to consider 2400 separate statutes it hf a single session Is it any wonder that the general public is becoming dissatisfied with the trend of legislation Is it any wonder that some o of these laws are openly defied and indifferently enforced The country seems be suffering with a burden of legislation the most of should hould have no place on the statute books When we to reflect stop that the laws necessary necessary necessary sary to guide human conduct were passed years ago it would seem that the present presen trend is contrary to the best interests of the government and the people Each new law signifies some sonic n new nw w class restriction or group advantage The law has become a thing of commercial advantage anc ancis and is used more or less less' less less-as as a football by interests seeking new considerations Comparatively few of the laws passed today are of public concern and those that are generally are re re- re- re Each man with a a hobby seeks to have it enacted into law o that his will may be imposed upon his neighbor One bill in introduced introduced in- in on the opening day of congress seeks revenue to provide breeding places for canary birds It is regarded as a freak just as much as if it H sought to establish singing schools s for pet birds in every state in the he Union I And while this bill is admittedly a prank 1 it is just as substantial as many that are introduced introduced intro intro- and passed in all ll seriousness The country and the people would be better off if the legislative bodies would take a long vacation vacation vacation vaca vaca- tion or devote their energies to a review of the legislation passed in m the last sixteen y years ars If congress and the various legislatures would devote a few sessions to repealing unnecessary unnecessary sary ary l laws ws and strengthening those that are on the books the laws would command more respect re rc- re- re than they do today At the same time the legislators would save the public considerable considerable considerable consid consid- erable money for it t is estimated that the cost of legislating in in t States now amounts to four billion dollars a year |