The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-10

ing tho entire statutory regulation on the subject
with penalties for its violation and provisions for its
nEAppoRT1oSMEST NEEDED.
regret that it is necessary for the fourth time to
remind the Legislature that enumeration Of the
inhabitants OF the State made in 1876 and thar
the constitution imperatvely requires the iegisl-
reapportion the Senatorial and Assembly districts
that each shall contain nearly as may be- an equal
number of inhabitants. excluding aliens. The re-
Quircment that this shall be done explicit
than that it shall be just and equal when it is DONE
To make an unjust and unequal apportonnent Tor
the accomplishment of some other purpose than that
intended by the constitution is OF course, very
great and difficult labor 1t requires expert skill in
wrongdoing. But to make fair and equal appor-
tonment calls for nothing more than common sense
acquaintance with the plainest rules OF arithmetic
and III honest dspositionto do right. Yet in each
year since the census taken the Legislature has
met gone through its session and adjourned without
making any superintendent whatever. These facts
require no comment and make none, except to
repeat the remark made in my last message referring
to ths subject :-'Certainly We cannot expect that
the people will long continue to observe the ordinary
restrictions and requirements of statute law, ii their
representatives who make that law utterly Disregard
and defy the especial mandates Of the constitution
they have sole,nnly sworn to support"
woRTHIEssNEss THE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT
In State with such Immense commercial, manu-
featuring and mechanical interests, the business of
fire. life and marine insurance is of very great i'm
portance. Its magnitude led to the conclusion that
the Legislature should take charge of it. For the
purpose of subjectng great corporations to the con-
troll OF just and general laws this was undoubtedly
proper but for the Legislature to undertake to adj
minister business Ill al It's minute details was
step Of more than doubtful expediency. The
lntermeddling Of State official is almost in
varably mischievous in its operation, and
am informed that within the last years thirty
life insurance companies have failed involving loss
to citizens OF this State OF $685. 900. This shows
how little protection the department gives. am
therefore of opinion that the wsest legislation in re-
gard to the Insurance Department would be to
abolish it, and to return its few necessary powers to
the Comptroller's office. whence they were taken.
This step advise believing that 1t will benefit the
parties interested and much rebound to the credit
OF the State.
REFORM THE DEPARTMENT OF BANKS.
The general rule naturally applies to tho
business of banking. 1t may be caimed that so far
savings banks are concerned the class OF people
who deposit their savings with them require some
governmental guardianship. But even this is doubt
full. The host of savings banks which have grown
up as If in q night, hourished for time and then
become insolvent could never have gained the con-
fdence OF the poor people whose little all was lost by
their operations if character and credit had
not been given to them by the pretence
that the State was the protector of their in
the State chosen who had served for several
years guardian of these institutions removed
for negligence and incompetency. and almost the
entire time of the very faithful and efficient deputy
into whose hands the work has fallen has been
cupied in saving what he could from the ruin into
which many of the savings banks fell. 1t is also
question worthy OF consideration whether il the
State will not leave people and corporations to
age their affairs in their way, but persists in
exercising governmental control them through
such agents it sees tit to appoint for that purpose
it ought to be responsible to parties who suffer
commend to your consideration such measures as
will tend to more speedy and less expensive mode
Of proceeding for winding up the affairs of the in
surance companies and savings banks that have
failed that parties who have suffered by them may
receive at the earliest day possible whatever may be
saved from the wrecks of such institutions.
FEDERAL INTERFERENCE ELECTIONS.
significant fact In connection with recent
election is the organized attempt of the federal
thoritics Interfere with the suffrage of citi-
Zens. This seems to me step upon dangerous
ground. The scanty Justification pleaded for it is
that it is within the scope Of federal authority to
supervise the election of members of Congress. In
the exercise Of this supervision the general govern
ment prctends to find the right Of passing on the
qualifications Of voters ut the polls, and to make
btrary arrests in the discretion of federal superv
sors thus preventing the person arrested from vot
ing either for members of Congress State officers.
But the constitution Of the United States provides
that the qualifications OF the electors of Representa-
tivcs in Congress shall, in each State, be- those
requisite for electors OF the most numerous branch
of the State Legislature. The constitution of our
own State. by virtue of which you hold your official
station, declares what those qualifications 1t
further casts upon you the duty OF enacting laws
to determine by proper proofs the persons en-
titled to the right Of suffrage thereby estsb-
lished. 1t is not tit that the Legislature OF a
great State should sit calmly by while its
chief prcrogative is torn from its grasp. nor
warning. words when such an usurpation is at
tempted the arrest by federal officers OF the voter
at the poll In the ma me OF the people, whose high
est right is imperlled in this controversy protest
against such an interference. / urge upon your
notice the danger Of permitting such proceedings to
by our organic law, its regulation is committed to
the State authorities 1t has never been yielded to
federal control and stern accountability will be put
on any servant OF the State who neg!ects to combat
the dangerous precedent of federal interference with
these reserved powers of the State Twice before has
this inpertnent intrusion on it's Jurisdiction been
attempted Twice before have able and courageous
State Executives made manly protest, In which the
Legislature and the people have sustained them. The
danger and the usurpaton not less than then
As u question of highest moment, outweghlng all
party interests and temporary advantage, earnestly
protest on your part will stop this effort once for all
Your silent acquiescence in the wrong will certainly
induce its attempted repetition.
AFFAIRS OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK.
In each OF my previous annual messages. and in
the reasons given for disappearing several bills
lating the government OF the city of New York,
have Expressed the opinion that new charter, which
should establish local Legislature for the city and
leave the people to govern themselves there, else
where. was the only practicable and complete REM
edy for existing evils. As yet nothing has been
done in that direction. The people seemingly
prefer to continue victims of bad legislation rather
than attempt to maintain local sclr-goyernment
Great commercial enterprise and the universal strug
gle for wealth seem to absorb all attention and to
make men wholly indifferent to the laws which are
necessary, not only for the preservation OF their
wealth when acquired but also for their personal
ma how uen
suffering will be endured before the rule will be
changed it is impossible to ,foresee. The
great debt which overhangs the city, the
army of useless officials and the extrava
CANT salaries paid to them, all due to
by the state Legislature Usually from one
hundred to two hundred bills are introduced ut each
session OF the Legislature relating to the
of the city, There is no reason to doubt that large
number will be presented ut the present sion. 1c
what subjects they may relate. or what provisions
they may contain, it is impossible to know. What
ever they may be they should receive the closes
scrutiny at your hands. IL anything can be done
within the limits of your constitutional power fol-
taxes which the people are called upon annually 10
pay it should be, and trust will be. done.