The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-05-07

LaoAs nA0usns VIII " ouhH80o Win - grave
and important duties a. have ever fallen to
The lot Of any delegated body in this State.
We speak advisedly when we say that the
work before it Is Of a. much moment to the
people of New York ~ was that which de-
volvei upon the representatives who were
FIRST called upon to frame our organic law in
lit. New York now stands at the head of
the Union, and, from her commercial position
aud large wealth, is justified In her claim to
the title Of the Empire State. Ninety years
ago, whom our first State constitution was
adopted, we had but handful Of Inhabitants.
The canvass Of that year has not been pre-
served, but the vote for Governor of New
York, twelve years afterwards, in 1889, shows
that only between eleven and twelve thousand
electors took part in the contest The popular
vote on holding the Convention in 1921, which
made the second constitution of the
State, showed one hundred and nine thousand
ballots for the Convention, and thirty-dve
thousand against II, or an aggregate Of one
hundred and forty-four thousand votes. In the
election Of 1916, ordering the Convention from
which we received our present constitution,
there were two hundred and thirteen thousand
votes cast for the Convention, and thirty-four
thousand against it, or an aggregate vote Of
less than two hundred and fifty thousand. In
the State ection last year over seven hundred
thousand voters went TO the polls, of whom
directly upon the question Of the Constitutional
Convention.
The interests of this large body of electors
are intrusted directly TO the delegates Of the
approaching Convention. They are called
upon to provide remedy fcs evils
and defects in our organic law so
glazing as 10 leave no middle path
.rs7ovn the two exrssnes Of State reconssruc-
ton and State revolution. Under the broad
license of the constitution OF 1886 our State
Legislature has become q mere market for the
purchase Of votes. The Corporation Of the
city Of New York inaugurated years since
system Of corruption at Albany, the expenses
of which have swclled our local taxation from
four millions year to over twenty millions
Political commissions, following in the wake Of
the Corporation, have resorted to similar means
to secure control of the most important depars-
ments of our municipal government, and to
enlarge their powers and increase their emolu-
meats. Railroad and other private corpora
tions have found bribery the only available
means Of securing the special privileges they
have sought at the hands Of the Legislature,
and have not hesitated to resort 10 It.
A lobby has been regularly organis-
ed at She State capital powerful enough
to stop all legiSlAtion aaless il
raparious demands are satisfied. The Cover
nor, even II willing to check the tide Of oor-
ruption, has been consttutionally deprived Of
his power to JQso. The Mayor Of New Ycfk,
whatever mi --be, his inclination, has pos.
sessed no authority over the subordinate de-
partment, Of the city government Behind al
has STOOD . judiciary ewing its position to the
very men who have originated and controlled
and proated by this organised corruption.
The approaching Convention Is called upon,
in the name Of nearly one million electors, to
save US from the slate Of anarchy threatened
by these evils, and to remod il the government
Of the Commonwealth In accordance with the
experience Of the past ninety years. Tho
delegates will have three leading duties to per-
form. First, to make suffrage universal, indie
pendent Of color. Next, to give us q
powerful and concentrated Stat, govern
ment, with increased executive and re-
stricted legislative authority and next, to
secure in the organic law responsible and ef-
ficient government for New York and all other
Giles Of the State. This work Is, rs we have
said, second in importance to none that has
ever been undertaken by State convention.
II it is well done, and If the new constitution
assures us . strong and responsible govern
ment for this city, il will be carried by an i'm
mense majority, and the party that controls the
Convention and frames the constitution will
triumph with it, here 10 New York as well as
in the State, in the next November election. 1t
will be the means of working complete revo-
luton In this stronghold of the democracy, and
will effectually blot the old party organizations
and corrupt trading q rings" out Of existence.
Fine Arts In New York-Tho Pictsre Trade.
We have always been in favor Of cncoursg-
my hniciio0n al, ohu VI rcmofiis every iul-
peiiment to It's progress. One serious impedi-
ment IL an evil which we have made special
efforts to remove; and our efforts have not
been altogether unsuccessful, inasmuch as we
have pretty well banished all bogus old mas
ters" Bat, whether or not because Of the fail
ure Of certain American artists in their we'll
intended If mistaken attempt TO secure Con-
gressional protection against The importation
Of bad foreign pictures good foreign pictures
they are always glad to welcoms--the evil in
question shows symptoms Of revival. We
allude to the sale by auction in this city Of
innumcrable nondescript daubs, manufactured
to order In Europe expressly for the American
market The latest dodge appears to be to
have these daubs touched up by some unlucky