system is a tool, and like every tool it can be used for the better or for the worse.

I'm not a big fan of rules becoming dogmas.

Many modules on CPAN are just wrappers around system commands. I used one from corion at work wrapping 7zip.

We can't know how monstrous the OP's code is, we only know it would be easier to reply if he showed it.

At least this solves his "one line in bash" claim.°

Update

°) correction, he said "simple echo statement", which is still kind of a miracle. The appropriate command is logger as far as I can Google..

I don't advice doing any system echo ...