The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-08
Meeting or the Legislature i'm the New
Capitol.

meextm8 OF tne Leghsloture io the Ness
Capitol.
The assembling OF the Legislature. OF
1879 is made noteworthy by two circum-
stances-the tremendous snow storm in the
western part of the State which, by prevent
ing the arrival of members, has delayed the
organization of the Assembly, and the
''house warming" SO to speak, in the pre-
tentious pile Of architecture called
the new Capitol. The snow blockade
and the extravagant structure are equally
unexampled in this State. but the
latter is the greater misfortune of the two
1t will stand to future ages. not as monu-
ment of the taste, but as monument OF
the prodigal extravngance Of the generation
which built it. The act authorizing 1t was
passed in the flush times of imitation, but
even then the estimate of its cost was only
81, 500, OO0 The enormous sum OF SO, SOC, 600
has already been expended upon it,
and several millions more will be
required for its completion. AS yet
tho Assembly Chamber is the only
part which is completed for the
accommodation of the Legislature. the
Senate meeting this winter not in the new
Senate Chamber but in the room which is
to be occupied by the Court of Appeals. In
his last annual Message Governor Robin
son, who is the sturdy foe of all such
pompous prodigality, recommended the
abandonment Of the whole structure. con-
tending that a more commodious Capitol
could be built for less money than would
be required for the completion OF
this absurd monument of State ex-
travagance. He held that the expense
of warming and taking care Of this
vast pile of stone and mortar would be o
constant and needless addition to the bur-
dens of the taxpayers. The old State House
1--WE had not then introduced the pompous
word "Capitol') was built in 1907, at the
modest cost of SITS, 900, and it answered its
purpose very we'll tor pearly three-fourths
of century. Our Legislature has not in
creased in numbers, and is small in COM
parison with the Legislatures Of the New
England States, where every township
is entitled to one or more repre-
sentatives. What need is there of
an immense structure, covering two
and half acres of ground, for the
accommodation Of thirty-two Senators and
one hundred and twenty-eight Assembly,
| men? The State Of Connecticut, which has
o more numerous Legislature than ours,
has recently completed q new State House
and possesses great architectural beauty, at
the moderate cost of 50, 500, 600, and, what
is remarkable, the expense has not ex-
ceeded the first estimates. By the plan of
the original architects the bad taste of the
| new Capitol at Albany equalled the prodi-
gality of the structure. But this has been
partially remedied by new plans for the
upper part Of the edifice, and the COM
pleted building will impress beholders
more favorably than the original design.
The snowy exchange Of congratulations
in the celebration last evening gave vent to
a great deal Of tnwdry eloquence, which
has the merit of being in keeping with the
ostentatious extravaganza of the structure.
We wish we could discover any reason to
expect that rs many really able men would
make mark in the new building as have
assembled under the roof of the old. Some
old stager, like Mr.. Thurlow Weed, might
make an interesting volume of REM
| inisccnces Of the famous men. who
have participated in the deliberations
of former Legislatures in the old and now
deserted State House. There have been
periods (not recent periods, indeed) when
the capacity and eloquence of the New
York Legislature would not suffer by COM
parison with the best exhibitions in the
federal Congress. The Legislature, of 1924
and that of 1888 are particularly memo
rable for the great number of strong and ca
| pable men who participated in their proceed
| ings. Many Of them afterward made q
great figure in Congress and high execu-
tive positions in the federal government,
| but there were others who failed to make
grea. national regulations only because
they were never transferred to O
more conspicuous theatre. 'There are as
good fish in the sea as were ever caught out
of it," and New York has bad as able states
men in its Legislature as were ever pro-
NOTED to the national councils. There
we're, perhaps, never more brilliant displays
in any parliame ntary body than the en-
counters between Erastus Root and Samuel
Young, whose reputation was merely local
and is fading out Of memory Of the present
generation.
But although our old Legislatures were
altogether superior to their recent successors
| in intellectual ability careful study of the
past history of the State will fail to convince
any intelligent inquirer that they had any
great moral superiority. Their private
morals and social standing may have been
more respectable. but as politicians they
were quite as inscriptions as the Eore
recent breed. Even the famous Legislature
| of 1924. so remarkable for abilities was