New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-16
CANAL REFORM.
THE NEW REMOVAL pIIL

ALBANY, April 1O-lne Bpecial order OF the gay
m the Senate this morning was the new Removal
Hill, but when il was called, directly after the read
ing Of the Journal Mr. Jacobs asked that il be post
,oned until the regular order of business had been
snished. as the Senate was not very full. Subse-
.neptly, when it again came up, Mr.. Jacobs again
had II postponed because Mr. Woodin, his gigantic
spponent in the debate, absent, and it was not
until / o'clock that the debate opened. Senator
King being in the chair and the Senate in Commit
zee of the Whole, Mr.. Jacobs resumed the floor and
said
Mr.. Chairman, offered yesterday as a substitute
for the bill now before this Committee the original
hill No. 203. now propose an amendment TO my
sahsutute il the Committee viii consent which
think may suit the case in such way that the
Senate viii find no reason against concurrence.
From the first line of the substitute / propose 80
strike out the names Of all the State officials pro-
posed TO be removed, except the State Engineer and
Surveyor, the Canal Commissioners, and the State
Prison Inspectors
The proposed amendment to the substitute was
areed 10. and the question was then upon Mr..
Mr. JacObs's substitute as thus amended.
THE DEBATE.
Mr. woodin said I will admit Mr.. Chairman, that
s amendment proposed by the Senator from the Hid
To- HE substitute IS Improvement II is still incOm-
,. however. not striking out the rest OF the
perfectly obvious 70 everybody who has heard it, that
the motion have the bill apply only to certain officials
u made with view TO making available here and now,
the influence resulting from that storm of indignation
sweeping the state against the canal officials, That
will he understood, think 70 be the design Of this
amendment When aimed at the canal officials, it il
pectod by the Senator from the lid, that nobody
viii have the courage to stand the floor
Of this Senate and question oppose the pas
cage OF the bill That little intention has for
p,fh hin
and TO be eoereed inundated into the advo-
esey of this bill because the canal officials lie under
cloud heartily with the Senator from the hid for
speedy trial removal Of offending State officers
because there has arisen storm OF indignation against
some OF them but because il Is inherently right And
heartily commend the Governor for calling attention to
the fact that without remedy against State
officials guilty Of malversaton That is a defect-the
fact that have remedy except the slow,
tedious method OF peachment-whieh should
have been remedied long ago. The remedy
was necessary ten years ago, and wonder that
other Executive has before called attention it,
But emergency has arisen, and must provide
sremedy. 1 that extent with the friends Of
this measure. But the mode Of action differ
II claimed By the 1ends OF his Exceleney that the
only remedy 10 in speedy removal Why, because they
content that depredaOns the treasury should
continue moment after they discovered and they
say here 10 the only proper remedy Let how
The bin provides that as soon as the Governor is
satisfied an official hos committed depredatiOns upon
the treasury ne shall suspend him. The guilty official is
by stroke of suspension rendered poveress for evil
He is no longer able to depredate He IL practically
moved. All his power for wroDg-dOng is taken away
when that another interest ntervenes and in
aicment found and charges rendered. That all
right but IL Is far prt There has not been trial
surrounded by al the sOlemnities that should accompany
important action, and yet 1t is proposed to take
away at this stage the property in Office which
the people have bestowed that
That power must not be given to the
Executive There we differ and nowhere else. Are not
the people protected from further depreciation the
part of the officer who lie suspended by his suspension
Is not the treasury door locked against hint Is not the
public interest served a. much If the man were re-
moved from the face Of the earthi would remove the
tia from all fear Of political considerations would
not have the Senate conduct the trial. for they
tOed in all their actions by political considerations But
] would make up a tribunal from the judicial State
officers and am not particular how it Is composed
Another objection is that this bill is antircpublcan and
mdemOcratic Does the Senator suppose that when
pablo Official has been suspended from his duties he
not be trusted 10 receive safe trial at the hands Of
except the Governor Would the Governor remove
and the other tribunal not Must the case be
prejudgedi We leave greater neutrality-suspicious.
Of bie and DEATH of right in property Of constitutional
privileges and duties to that tribunal, and why not trust
with this concur fully with the press in the demand
im removal. won't say that Will not support this
Ill., but first viii contribute all my influence 90 give the
power Of removal somewhere else. II to Others viii
eOnsent to give it to the Governor But let us vote
u0ughtfnly and with understanding to give this power
mswbere for the present time next year. but for
~ tine. Let US not legislate for an emergency.
Senator JacObs-Mr. Chairman, the Senator says this
legislation necessary ten years ago. Does he not
know why it was not done ten years agoi 1t was be-
ease legislation in the hands Of the who perpe
tsted these robberes Of the treasury They did not
want the power Of removal exercised The men who
told force claim bills through the two Houses to the
sount Of millions Of dollars opposed to any such
power being exercised by the Executive The people see
that now and all know IT, and they intend to strike for
NE remedy and get it, know why. Ten years ago
NE people knew nothing about the canal frauds They
Knew only that they severely taxed TO defray the
expenses Of the canals, and never imagined
was solely for the purpose Of keeping
power a Taseally set Of State officials
nd contractors. They now know II, and they want
remedy How they going 20 getitf The Senator
Sn the XVIII says by organizing tribunal OF Judges
kng from their present duties the men who hold the
est courts Of the State duties already too arduous,
md burdening them with new task. The Governor has
saesdy the power 10 remove sherihs. Why shOHld he
m nave the power in the present nstancesf The Sena-
t~ ffom the XVIII says the present method
sntiIepubhean and undemOcratc. When
ne var broke out in 1860 the Senator took the stump
d insisted that the Constitution Of the Land should go
"sn and the President should be invested with auto
nate power because the country was in danger.
senator Woodin-NO, I did not.
senator Jaeobs-weIl, yOur party did There was no
Naaton then, because exgency was upon the coun-
~ and before 1t the Constitution revised, the laws
~ away and the rule Of arms succeeded
20 too, with the State to-day, and when
Executive calls for help no Is met
1tess suggestions and apologies. The man to hold the