New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-05-01
EYLr TEE LRGLSL4TNRK.

The Legislature adjourned yesterday, alter
session of four months, or just fOur-lifths of
the tlme taken by last years Legislature.
Could the dOngs of the last twenty days be
blotted from the record, the memory of the
latest occupants of the State House would be
held in greater respect. This observation, by
the way, applies to most Of the Legislatures
New-York has seen for the last twenty or
thirty. years. The hard times, the in
disposition of capitalists to embark in new and
hazardous enterprises. and the tried integrity
of Gov. Dix, have all been favorable to
public virtue, and the Legislature has been
delivered from much temptation. The record
of the last few weeks, especially the tOrtuous
course of the Assembly on Rapid Transit, has
been far from creditable, but on the whole
this Legislature deserves less censure, if not
more praise, than most of It's recent prede-
cessors. If it has not done much good, it has
at least done less harm than was feared.
After pursuing with regard to New-York
City affairs policy Of non-intervention for
the greater part of the session, we have at
the close touch of the old-fashioned partisan
trickery in the bill passed yesterday to try to
take away power from those whom the people
have chosen TO exercise it, and to give it to
the managing politicians Of the minority.
The effort to change the New Capitol Com
mission was abandoned, probably because the
Governor could not be depended on to
Gil the vacancy with active politicians,
who would look upon building ten million
dollar Capitol as merely incidental to carrying
the elections for the Administration and Fed
eral office-holders. The recommendations of
Gov. Dix in regard to the speedy completion
of the financial legislation have received no
consideration. The appropriation bills, as
usual, are left to be patched up by Conference
Committees in the last hours of the session,
and the two Houses are forced to give a
blind support to the unknown conclusions OF
these Committees.
We must give credit to the Legisla
tire for making liberal and comprehensive
appropriations for the Improvement Of the
canals. The enlargement of the Champlain
Canal, the removal of the bench walls" from
the Erie, and the completion of the double
locks, should be effected at the earliest day,
and the money appropriated, If honestly
expended, is sufficient. 1t is also creditable
that the absurd funding scheme failed to get
through. The Canadian Legislature has this
year appropriated six millions in gold for the i'm
provementof her canal system. The adoption of
the funding amendment would throw great
obstacle in the way of any further improve
ment of our canal system. We believe that
Improvement is inevitable, and that the ques-
ton will grow into prominence with the pro-
gress of the work in which the Dominion is
engaged.
In the matter of providing rapid transit for
this city, there has been nothing but disap-
pointment. There were promises in plenty at
the beginning of the session. The net result
ia pitifully small. Mr. Eastman's bill to refer
the whole subject, with ample and we'll
guarded powers, to a Commission was carefully
and conscentiOusly elaborated. Mr. Cauld-
wells substitute was accepted by the
author of the original bill, and in
that shape the proposition passed
the Assembly, and it was deliberately killed
in the Senate. The Beach Pneumatic bill
merely changed the name of the proposed road
end made some other immaterial amendments