The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-31
The Standing Of the Legislature in the
Future History Of the State.
The Lobby Influences What They Amount
ed to, Where They We're Bent and
to What Degree.
APRETTY GOOD LEGISLATURE ON THE WHOLE
The Important Bills That Were Passed
by Both Houses and Signed
by the Governor.
THE WORK OF l42 DAYS.

ALBANY, May 80, 1873.
After a session Of l42 days. the longest session
ever held by any Legislature under the present
constitution Of the State, the Legislature OF 1873
has closed it's labors Whether these lab0rs have
been or rather will be- altogether profitable to the
people is question which the people can best de-
eide for themselves after the results OF those abOrs
shall have become manifest.
There Is no question but that in many respects
1t has failed to fulfil all the pledges that its friends
made for 1t before it had organized at ALL and that
as a "reformn Legislature. in few things 1t has
not come up to the expectations the people had Of
It at the start. Stin it has done great deal Of
good work. 1t is, know, very popular nowadays
to abuse any legislative body whether there be just
cause for the abuse or not, particularly when that
body goes by the name of ''the Albany Legisla-
ture," and 1t is more than probable that the Legs
lature OF 1878 will not be made an exception to
the general rule-indeed, If 1T be not inveghed
against in stronger terms than ever, simply
because the occasion for it may be less than ever
Judging the work by its total results so far as one
can Judge at present. 1t has done exceedingly WELL
its friends throughout the state last Fan
declared Il to be 'pledgedn to REFORM 1t Is just to
say that 1t made no particular claims to being
reform Legislature per Sc, and probably this very
fact saved it from the pitfalls its predecessor,
which was 80 loud IN Its protestations Of reform,
fell into at almost every step it took.
1t certainly cannot be denied hut that as far as
New York city Is concerned, it has been
thorough uncompromising reform Legislature;
and the fact that every reform bill that
was unable to get under even the
shadow OF success in the Legislature of 1872 has
been passed by its immediate successor bears
abundant testimony to the good that was IN it.
Every effort at reform of the men OF New York,
who claim to be actuated only by the best OF mo-
tfves-of citizens who regardless Of duty and look
ing only to the welfare of tile city, have long
striven to tear up, root and branch, every vestige
Of the corruption that had found its way into every
department OF the city and county governments
has been seconded and carried into effect by
proper legislation Of this Legislature OF 1878.
Now, as to the question OF money influence. l
DO not hesitate to state that less money was used
during the session just expired than was expended
on any Legislature for years past. 1t may be that
the spirit OF gain was not weak; that there
we're fully as many strikers In the Assembly and in
the Senate as there ever were In any Legislature
but, If there were, the unerring indications so well
Known to anybody who has ever closely watched
the lobby during q session from beginning to end
we're wanting. Besides, there were no "bR
chances" for the men who had their price to make
large hauls. Undoubtedly, money was used
to influence votes on certain measures
such as the New York Railroad bills, the
Rochester Water bills and the Brooklyn
Bridge bill; but 1t had to be used sparingly and
very carefully, more because the little ring Of
strikers had to be kept down than because any
very large number of the members were really
corrupt. It is always hard to divide in any Legis
ature the sheep from the goats-that is, to divide
them with the certainty that in the division some
Of the sheep may not be mixed up with the goats
and vtce versa !; 80 will not attempt TO even
conjecture rs to how many men were really
owned by the lobby. Indeed the mere acknowl
sdgment Of the fact that there were q few
who were always supposed to be in the
market, and so considered by their fellow
members Is a, sad enough reminder Of the cor.
ruption that prevails among our public men in
these times without going into specifications
STILL venture to say that Albany has seen many
worse Legislature than that OF 1873, and that 1t
may often in the future see a better one but II
the State always gets as good one as that which
has Just adjourned, taking all the members on q
general average Of ability and honesty it will have
less reason to complain OF corruption than it has
bad in the past.
But now as to the work the LIE legislature has DONE
As to New York city.
LAWS AFFECTING NEW YORK CITY.
First and foremost is the Charter, over which the
better portion OF the hundred days wai spent; the
Police Justices bill, which put out OF Office the
gentlemen who were elected by loving con-
stituency to mete ont spite and spleen to their
enemies and 'justice' to their political friends
the bills consolidating the city and county; Great
ing new Commission OF Emigration and Com
mission OF Charity and Correction, ana regulating
the pay OF the hremen; annexing Morrisania,
viding for site Tor a new city prison. providing
for the erection OF general armory Tor the National
Another quite important bill is one en-
titled AN Act In Relation to Taxation in
hs s n cer sem named il tn. Safn laws o s
their successors may, from time to time, before
the 1st OF July next by concurrent vote, .recon-
ander the provisions Of the law oil 1854 and 1871
relative to taxation. The estimate predetermined
Is to be considered appropriated Tor the several
ects and purposes designated in the laws referred
to. The act alse provides that any surplus
rom any ns may oce be
In the act are to be considered county as
well as city oficers, and they are empowered to
made to the general fund OF the city and county,
the amount so transferred to be deducted from the
amount required to be raised by tax this year.
One OF the provisions OF the law authorizes the
Comptroller to issue bonds to provide payment 4
tax for canal and general fund deficiencies, and
the Board OF Supervisors are empowered to raise
by tax an amount sufficient IN each year to pay
the interest on the bonds. The last section re-
be raised and included in the tax levy of 1878 shall
for.
The .act in relation to common schools" by
which the city was divided into new school dis
trlcts and new Board OF Education was created,
Is also to be considered among the reform meas
ures OF the Legislature.
Another important measure which affects the
city and which has been made a law Is that which
extends ana defines the civil jurisdiction OF the
Court or Common Pleas and the Superior Court OF
New YORK. The law gives these Courts original
Jurisdiction at law and in equity, concurrent and
coextenslve with the Supreme Court, OF all civil
actions and OF all special pleadings Of
civli nature S.r except those pending in the
that the Supreme Court may reserve to itself and
change the plan of trial on hearing OF any civil
action or special proceeding OF civil nature pend
inQ in the Superior C0prL Still, removal Of any