New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-15
BAY STATE AFFAIRS.

COY. RICES POLICY.
FURTHER APPROPRIATIONS FOR she HCOsAC TUN-
MEL orPOsED-AN ABANDONMENT OF TIE " TOLL
GATE" PLAN Observation-Disclosures OF TIE
NEW LEGISLATURE.
frnoN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT Of THE TRIBUNE.
BosToN, Jan. LITTLE Legislature OF Massa
chuscts has organized under circumstances OF less than
ordinary interest exhibited the part of the people
on similar occasions Dr. GEO. y. Loring was elected
President of thr senate for fourth This Is
because Dc good presiding officer. because there
was general desire that he should take the place again,
50 much from feeling that after the drubbing he
received u hi- efforts bc.Goycrn0r. IL would oc dan
gcrou further provoke his friends. john ID. Long.
the new Speaker ~ the Hlusr OF Representatives. had
been member OF body only year rc,iousy.
and has much less than the the Of those
who have preceded him In TIL, Office. He made good
speech on taking chair however, and is well spoken
OF by those who know him.
Gov Rccs mess &C. which delivered with unusual
prompti,ude. las been the whole fdyorIby received
IN the state II +, long but except two points
Is not oycr-e Elaborated There almost portions In
II To which decided objection Doe taken. The only
criticism made that 1t fails To be positive, energetic
and forciblc IA ITS criticisms and recommendations one
Of the state journals remarks that the new Governor Is
not biz OF rcforiucr IL IL only fair to state some facts
that tell in his favor here Aud the first is that the
than any that cred at the state House Tor
20 year. GOV Rice docs arragu extravaganza with
severity. urge economy with NIsor, but he more
specifically points whore money has been wasted
and suggests wher, II may hc saved expenditure may
bo stopped than have his predecessors. THIS il all that
was bc peced of man ~ his temperament II the
had been earnest for reform some Of those
who complain of COY Rice appear 10 believe she would
have elected different As II IL. II the Lceis
latufe Will upon the information that Gov. Rice
offers and the -ugs -ons he furnishes shall cct all
IN this direction D. reasonably asked for in
year-and much more than many now fear is TO be
realized
INFRINGEMENT.
The chief object Of extravaganza with us FOR years was
the aid granted railroads. Within the past two
this has been extended the erection public building
and To large Increase in the sums spent To maintain the
militia. II GOV Rice does not strike at all these points
with slcdechammer he presents very forciby the
tent Of the outlay occasoned by Them and submits To
the state settle TO the wisdom Of It's continuance
The debt Of Massachusetts, is about $50 100000 OF
this sum half has been sunk IN the lIoosac Tunnel
scheme alone, and three millions have been
wasted in subsidies to the Boston, Hartford and Eric
Railroad. The State has never Testpcd particle Of
benefit either OF these projects. There is ques
ton that the most. II not the whole. OF this money is
utterly wasted The Hartford and Erie Railroad has
been bankrupt Tor years and now OF those who
been strongest In advocating appropriations Tor the
Ioneac Tunnel are compelled 10 admit that II the state
had intcrfcrcd in this scheme might have had a
available route To the West made 10y private capital
Gov Rice recommends explicitly that money
appropriated 10y the the Tunnel and he is the
first Governor FROM whom any such salutary advice has
been given the Legislature. lie shows too that the ap
propatcns for public buildings IN the state during the
last years have doubled It's entire outlay In this
direction and hc invites the Legislature 20 consider this
subject well the great Increase in expenditure for
q ma. .IItt.T -
Is not therefore, fulnedgcd reform Governor. he Is
nearer approach than anything the State has had
for long time before him or course II Will not be
forgotten that it under his predecessors these
penditurs authorized and that his IL the first init
nation from Executive source that they eNtrayl-
CANT.
These subjects are likely to receive the principal aten-
ton Of the Legislature. IL is not remarkably strong
body Of men. Kmbal of Boston would naturally
be the leader Of the House Of Representatives If that
body IN this state acknowledged leader, which II
does not He has been fourteen years a member. and
nearly a that time at the head OF the Finance Commit
/ zee. he has clear hcah ana III most uses souhi
Judgment. lie is not nfalibe IN this respect however,
aud after having constantly voted for Tunnel appopra-
onS Is reported now AS converted TO e Deer ta the
Tunnel was mistake His Impulses are toward
economy and he has opposed several appropriations that
have uriousy depicted the state Treasury As regards
s oversight been less acfl, and his power
the elements of a rcfurmer. Edward l.. Pierce, the
Chairman OF the Judiciary Committee, is more iude
l
he had OF the qualities OF leader
snip might prove the most valuable III 'mber IN the
House II II he Is almost always safe man 10 follow
Charles Hale OF Boston mas large share OF talent and OF
knowledge, but has never acquired the quality OF lnnu
Ensign T. Kellogg Of Pittsied Is an excellent and
highly popular gentleman, but Is much TOO easy gong
TO undertake work against extraordinary obstacles
f. NJ Stone OF Waltham has superior capacity as egs
latO but he Is without the aggressive Temperament
that necessary effectiveness as reformer. The
out reform In the House If not altogether Gu
cournging therefore. Perhaps there Is more hope from
Mr.. kmbal than from anybody else II he Will entet
tsl ngn
indeed than legislator has done for many years
In Massachusetts
The HoosAC TUNNEL PROBLEM
The economical policy Of the Governor toward the
Tunnel well his views regards the action OF the
State in disposing Of It, will encounter much opposition
I'm the Legislature any event II the present policy s
continued money will inevitably be needed and
good deal It, II is based upon what Is known as the
PLAN which consists In the states keeping pos
session Of the road through the mountain and that
approaching 1t which II owns, building some more
Ia addition and then leyying toll upon all trains belong