New-York tribune., 1877-05-17
LEGTSLAIIyE WOBK ar ALBANY.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS CONsIDERED-THE
SPRING ELECTIONS AMENDMENT ORDERED TO 4
THIRD PFADING By The ASSEMBLY, AND THAT
N RELATION 70 PUBLIC SCHOOLS BY TIE
SENATE.
[PEoH TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF 1HE TRIHuSt.I
ALBANY, May 16.-ThTec important amend
mcns 80 the STATE Constitution were before the state
LEGISLATURE to-day. Two Of these aincnGm,Ets-pro-
posed by the Municipal CDmnsslon-.ad been passed pJ
the Senate and we've considered by the Assembly. Tie
other providing that tho money OF the state snail bo
given to schools only subject % is supervision, was the
subject OF "a long discussion ia tee Senate.
In tie Assembly there was very spirited debate over
one OF tc sauicpa Commissions amendments. one OF
the amendments. which provides that body 10 be catd
the " Board OF Finance" shall have the night to make
contracts procure suppc- ana audit the county charges
Of city, was reported fIyoraby 10 the Assembly from
the Committee of The Whole, without debate Tie only
vote agaiust reporting ii iayorlniy was given by Mr.
sruola. The second and most important amendment,
was then read. The most important sections Of this
amendment are those declaring that elections Tor city
c.s sdai be hcd IN spring and that the funds OF
city shall be in the control cf hoard OF finance elected
hv the iapaycls solely. The section in relation tOsrring
elections Mr. spiuoa moved he modified 80 as 10 except
the CITY OF New YORK from its provisions In MS opin
ion the buldcncd taxpayers ought not 10 be obliged TO
incur an additional annual expense Of 4-O0,OJO The
authorities Of NeWYogL were seeking TO Tighten taxa
ton; but this amendment would increase it. ii had
been pl4usibly argued that the people OF NcY-iork
would secure better rulers, and prevent bad ones from
getting into power IL the city elections separated
from tiose for and national officers la answer To
that he would say that the people oi lat city, when
they clearly SAW that a wrong being committed by
thclr rulers, had always been able 10 right It,
Mr. stfaAan followed with one Of the most iudcious
elective and able speeches the session lie pointed
out taat MI Eccesue had argued partisan through
out his speech and showed that the central idea OF the
amendments was divide parties Ii was the conc'p
ton of ta writer's of the amendment O. separate local
affairs an local politics from state and National po.
tics BY concentrating the attention OF the people on
the candidates local Offices was hoped ihai better
qualified men would be secured Tor them. ilr. s said
there was nothing IN the amendments which prescribed
~ ci,'',CH @ 'aCl5 tI,is rVun,o tn',,t he saved
Every lax paycl was Iu favor OF the amendments. lie
% i i, a. i,i". a. tLr cS,.t OF ~rug r.,cl ON
H. H. Rockwell sad nc dit not agree vu tie members
who attacked defended the amendments rs party
measures lie was hcatIl lh Iay"t oI ttn nHt G'aftu
everything tnat was objectionable taken out. Among
elections me most so The tend ucy oi the Times
was to fewer rather than to more frequent elections In
the 9i cities Of the state which held separate elections
parties us prominent al ,uch elections rs al
was hard work TO get the "rcspyctdb'e' IeuIIo To
vot, At any elections, In case OF sprinS election this
difficulty would be doubled. Mr. Ltughcin denied tlat
IL the cities which hold separate elections Ocer
men are not selected Mr. Hayes satl u Was hlgh
time that there some local politics IL NeW-lorN
The whole genius OF the United States Government Was
local self government Mr.. SplnOa Witndrowhs amend
ana inserted another 10 the effect that The Legs
lature should have the authority TO name tae time lor
local elections IN NCw-GO.k. Mr.. Alyord re
sisted the adoption Of TINS amendment. Speeches
IN favor of The amendment were made
by Mr. Mitchell and Mr. COzIus MIR. Strdhan
at last moved that tie committee rise. report progress
ana ask leave SIT again. THIS motion carried by
vote of A to A. When the committee had reported Nh
Fish jycd that the resolution be ordered 10 hIri read
ing acsslS. Spuol Mitchell, Grady, and Lyon opposed,
Oh the ground tAt section m the resolution dsirln
ch!srd voters The resolution ordered 20 u third
reading by the following vote Republicans Ia roman,
ID .mOcfsts IN Italics