The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-10-28

Look TO the Legislature.
In the bustle and confusion Of the cam-
paigu in thus State, voters .houd not forget
! that one OF tho most valuable results to be
achieved in the contest II TO elect % good
working majority OF thoroughly honest.
fearless, and independent men to each
branch Of the Legislature. 1t il of great
| importance to have MI able and upright
| Governor aud other state officers who are
sincere and vigilantu the cause of admins
talive reform; but without Legislature
to back them, they will he crippled at
every step in their work.
Besides the transaction OF the ordinary
business of the session, there will come be-
fore the next Legislature three subjects
| OF unusual moment. We refer to meas
urcs in aid Of the crusade against the
| Canal Ring, To the enactment of necessa y
| laws for giving fun effect to some OF the
recent Constitutional amendments, and 10
tho superintendent for the Scuatc and AS
tombly for the coming ten years accord
ing to the ccnsus Just completed. Perhaps
We ought to add to these SUBJECTS an over
hauling aud revision Of some Of the SIT
utcs which govern this city.
Two Of the main objects of the now
amendments to our state Constitution
were to elevate the character of the Icgis-
laturc aud to curb its occasional tcndeu-
cics toward lavish expenditures and cor
rupt jobs. For tho former purpose il iu-
! creased the salary Of members 10 S1,b0 u
year, required them To take an oath that
they had not committed bribery or offered
10 commit bribery at the election, and
prepared the way for their punishment IL
found guilty of these offences. The pro-
visions of the amendments In respect to
| placing checks upon the proiligate, cor
rupt, and otherwise unwarrunted proclvi-
ties of the Legislatures of wears past are
| too mary To be enumerated hero. Suffice
II to ray they are specific AMI stringent.
When the last legislature was elected
these amendments had not become part
of the Constitution. They went into effect
on the first day OF january. Now. ii is
notorious that majority of the Legisla-
turc, and especially of the Assembly.
sceuucd To act rs If they were ignorant Of
the existence of pretty much ali OF these
Constitutional provisions except that
which increased their salary hv $3.50 "a
year. They were constantly taking ini-
tal steps toward legislation whoh ran
counter to them; and It required the vigil
lance of the better Informed members and
of the Governor To keep out OF the statute
book many measures that were alike per
nicous aud unconstitutional
Theme Legislature should certainly be
such ~ To steer clear OF the bluudcrs Of
| the last But more thuu this. il should
supply It's DEFICIENCIES 10y the enactment of
those general laws which are needed to
give full eject TO the Constitutional amend
mcnts. 1t should honestly and fairy
apportion the State, rcmemberrg that ns
/ work must stand through ten years. And
in every possible way it should assist the
executive departments aud the people IN
carr ying forward the cause Of adinluisti,l-
tive reform.
In his speech NJ BuGnlo last summer
Gov. TILpEN pointed out thetrue method
for getting the right kind Of n I,cgis azure.
II was TO prefer an honest Democrat to "a
corrupt Republican, and an upright Re
publican 10 u veual Democrat. The nyuros
show that the scale can be turned IN one
half of the Senatorial and Assembly dis
trcts OF the State 10y small body OF nde-
pendent voters. Two years ago sixteen
Senators o. ono-half OF the whole-whose
districts east au average of 2l.OOO votcs
each, were elected by such small mujori-
ties that II change of 400 votes, and in sew
cral instances less than 200 would have al
tered the result. The majortics Of about
half the Assemblymen elected last fail
were so small that change of 100 votes IN
a district would have altered the result.
In the light of these facts, independent
voters will be alone 10 blame If they allo "
demagoeucs To have their pick in the
choice of the next legislature.