The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-23
LEGISLATIVE WORK ENDED.
THE ADJOURNMENT IN ALBfNY AFTER
I'VE MONTHS SESSION
Known Rather by what " Didn't DO than FOR
any Special Good Accomplished easures
Ihnt InIlch-OIoalnR Scenes nnd IncIdenis

Known Rather by what VI Didn't DO than FOR
amy Special Good Accomplished Measures
that FaiIcd-ClosinR Scenes and Incidents
ALBANY, May 22-The first Legislature TO
sit in tho new Capitol mas adjourned after one
hundred and thirty-six days OF session. 1t
began with magnificent promises. was endowed
with great opportunities for usefulness. but it
slgnally failed to keep the former or improve
the latter. The Assembly has been the scene
OF jealousics and chickering's between the lead
ers Of former days and the young element. and
divided over the ambitions the old guard and
the young robels. The Senate has becn con-
trolled by selfish politicians more intent on
being recognized as candidates for Governor
than in serving the public interests The As
sembly was organized by the old guard. which
found itself In a hopeless minority In its own
party from the moment that it elected tho
Speaker The session has run wild. with no
apparent object or purpose other than that
OF the young rebels demonstrating rs often
rs possible their power to defeat and rout the
old leaders.
The Legislature will be remembered for what
1t didn't do rather than for anything else. 1t
started In with n great buster in favor OF re-
| ducng its own expenses, and ended In saving
hardly anything. Then came torrent OF talk
| about putting safeguards around insurance
| companies to shield them from the attacks OF
blackmaier Smyth. but 1t resulted In no legis-
| lation whatever. With great flourish It was
announced that the tax laws as applied to cor
poratons and millionaires not paying their
share were to be revised; but nothing
Of the kind was done. or the twenty
or moro Excise bills introduced not one
was passed. OF the dozen bills for re-
ducing expenses in New YORK city not one was
passed. Tho bill asked for by the farmers
compelling uniform tariff for the transporta-
| tion OF milk was lost nj the last moment. The
| bill compelling the Union Ferry Company to
| reduce its rate 10 one cent and the one pro-
viding for nvc-cent fares on the elevated rail-
roads were killed. Mr.. Lnngbein's attempt to
| secure a plan for clearing the streets was
stranged, The Legislature instituted no re-
| forms reformed no abuses.
| preceded il. and of that Of 1877. Their failure
70 legislate in the public interest should lead
| the people TO consider whether II is worth while
| to make the next Legislature Republican also.
More bills have been passed than by any
most exclusively confined 20 personal and local
| interests. A large part Of these were 80 faulty
drawn that they had 10 be- recalled from tho
| Governor for correction. The Executive has
been compelled to veto about fifty Of the bills he
| had examined before adjournment or one out
| OF every seven sent him. for their crudites and
| unconstitutionality. He has signed about $50
bills. and has nearly 800 more to consider In the
next thirty days Many Of them will necessarily
receive the application of the veto tomahawk.
The interest Of the last day Of the session was
centred in the Senate: The Assembly had
| dozen bills only 30 read, and they were OF triy
ial character. while the Senate had a large
number OF important measures awaiting third
| reading. and still others over which there was
| a constant struggle 10 get ahead, having pre-
viously passed the Assembly. For q time the
mage to get bills ahead. and the very worst
| temper possible was manfested-the evident
| result Of the lingering effects OF the Senatorial
midnight banquet The Senate, however,
passed or disposed Of all tho bills which it
be placed on that order BY unanim consent.
| and disposed OF forty bilis which had previously
| providing tl5O.OOO for tho repair and extension
| Of Croton mains appropriation Tor the pur-
| authorizing gas COMPANIES 10 use electricity Tor
| lighting purposes; amendments t. the Brook
| lyn ch9rter. and the act Tor an island on Rob
| bins Reel. The latter biz was amended,
| and ts opponents contrlved TO preven,
It's announcement in tho Assembly for concur
| renee IN the amendments. ana II Jailed alter
all the efforts OF its supporters II was the only
message from the Senate thai WAS not reached
| in the Assembly. The attempt 10 move ahead
DR.. Polar Hayess general Tunnel bill In the
senate failed. The bin wnich, recently passed
| the Senate for the relief oi the New York Tuu-
mel Company. chartered 10y special act u few
tunnel under the Hudson River, also a tunnel
under the East River. WAS then amended
on motion OF DR.. Hayes by extend
ing the time for completion Of the tun-
NJ mel five years passed 10y the Assembly
| sent TO tho Senate and promptly concurred in
This will enable the construction Of tunnel
but 1t grants no such power 70 20 all around. or
organize tunnel Companies generally, ns did
| DR.. Hayes.s bill The new conference commit
tet on tnt Dill cfehllnE n COMMISSION 10 prepare
bin on taxation agreed 10 "A commission Of six.
striking out the name Of Crenmer and adopting
all the other names In the bill as It passed the
senate, Both Houses adoptrd the report The
| Commission is composed Of George Dawson of
Albany, Luther j. Burdett OF Cooperstown. Or
lHndO h. Potter Of New York, Charles B Sedg-
wick of Syracuse Norman VI. Allen Of Cattaura-
gus. and Edward W. Poster Of Pousdam. The
conference report on the transfer Of the aban-
doned Genesce Valley Canal to a railroad failed
in the Senatn and the bi was killed.
When the New York Salary bill WIS announced
| N a. ill Ia
amendment the dignified ,strahan paid his COM
pliments 10 the senate and Ola Salt in pointed
manner He said the treatment OF the bill by
the Senate removed all hope of reduction Of
expense In Now York. and a refusal Of the Leg
officers in the future. Tho entire form OF
tho ill had been changed; the Senate had
had asked the Spenker To appoint a
conference committee friendly 10 reduction
but had been told that he could not have It. He
| therefore moved TO non-concur and let the bill
die. Old Salt at this shot looked daggcrs AZ the
dignihed Strahan, his face turning red. and he
head with The Mount Of Olives gave. gay; Afler
hcsitHting moment he put the motion and the
b'l was killed Two or three Brooklyn jobs
which had been inserted by the Senate in bills
affecting thnt city were killed when the amend
ments We're announced in the Assembly, by
exposure made 10y the venerable Ogden and
The Assembly found time to spend half an
hour in recess awaiting messages from the
Senate. and the time was occupied in mock
session. in which Gen. Thorpe Rockland's
I.H-lf W. ell'hlht ulQ NAANAo Mtlo III lulA
elected Speakers.
The act for the revision Of the assessments
| for local improvements IN the upper part of the
city Of New York was held in Senate Committee
| until adjournment ms was also Corporal Lang
hein's Street Cleaning bill. Gavu's ilye-cent
fHre on elevated roads WAS not reported by tho
Senate Committee. Three or four persons who
were here awaiting an opportunity 70 make ar.
| gumcnts on the bill remained until the close Of
the session, without an opportunity to deliver
| their speeches
A detcrmi'ed effort has been made in tho
past week o. the part of some Of tho Senat prs
and their friends to induce the Assembly Com
mitteo on tho judiciary to report in favor u
mpeaching A. +, Smith, County Judge OF Cont
land County. so as to cnablo tho Senators 10
spend the summer in Saratoga and engage in
political wire pulling. They succeeded in cap,
! turing two OF the Committee only. Corporal
Il, -ubein aud Dugro. The majority reported
aroin.r 'mueachmept, and in effect sustained
GOV Rolinson IN Diminishing similar charges
last year.
- Mr.. sloan received n decided S., phcE IN the
Eopub!ican caucus last night in trying a. in
| dure the Republican memhHTs 10 eulors7 an
article by Chur l.. Smith of the Erenu0 Jo,U-
nal culogl2ng the Legislature. Cunkling. and
Ilayes as an address 10 the people of the Statc
| II commented the SN Der Cent. Interest bin
the failure to change TIE Excise law and th6