The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-14
NOT FOR RETRENCHM ENT.
An UHsUCCESSFUL FTOHT FOR REFORM
IN TIE STA TE ASSEMBLY.

IN THE STATE ASSEMBLY,
Votirg 60 Iacrense tho Number Of Attendants
Instead OF Diminishing Then, Protects by
Hrooks aud SLinner-AIvord's Defence.
ALBANY, Feb 49, Tho efforts of Assem-
blyman skinner to prevent tho increase Of the
officers OF the Assembly have fnilcd. An nlli-
0nco Of the Canal Ring and the Tammany Ring
for more officers and pcknRs was too much for
the Jefferson County economist. At the begin
ming Of the session Mr. skinner secured tho
adoption OF a resolution appointing a special
committee Of ton TO Investigate and report what
officers and employees Of the Assembly could
be dispensed with and how tho expenses Of tho
session could be reduced Old Salt held bnck
the appointment Of this committee for ten
days and before it had au opportunity
to meet, appointed all the officers which tho law
allowed. Thego appointments having been
made. the special committee which had becn
packed for that purpose. was made IN instru-
ment TO increase. instead OF reduce. the force
After holding several meetings n report was
m0dc-flrst. that II WIS inexpediont to interfere
in any way with the status OF the officers. clerks
messengers. or pages already appointed; Sec
ond, recommending that bill bo proposed pro-
viding for the appointment by future Assem-
blies OF ten officers not now authorized BY law.
and cutting of eleven committee clerks and
seventeen messengers to committees; third.
that two more officers be appointed for this ses-
sion to look after mail matter and wrapping
This report, nficr several postponemonts. was
taken up to-day and debated for three hours.
was considered separately Ernstus Brooks
opened the dis 'usson 10y pointing to the poet
ton In which the House would he placed by
adopting the report The report was good
subject FOR "A comedy, How not to do IL. Not n
lage nor nlessrnger 10 be- lopped on This
luf N recommendation tlnt flatr Infrl
and suecc ssors be mora economical: no rcduc-
ton while they are members; not n hair oi
penditurcs this session. hut an increase. His
friend from Jefferson had gone 10 the Commit
tee for bread. and had roeeived n stone. He
had gone for wool, and had come home shorn.
Old salt called MIR. Sloan TO the chair and took
!he n2or in dG'ense Of the report. He insis,ed
that the tWo officers nAmed in the report 10 take
charge oi tho express matter and wrapping de-
partment were 's- ntinl. lie believed thHt the
Speaker was bound by law 70 make the appoint
m'uts which had been made. and g. make Just
- uny,whethcft fthere was nnythnRfor them TO
other duties except a. tho law provided.
Lucky Grady who Is one nf Od Salts pets In
nsslEnmrnt 20 p,9cos on c3m miures announced
10 poke sticks q. Brooks ana Skinner
MI. fl7h looked upon the assertion that the
houso had no power toreduce the employees as
Lawyer Curtis, Of Chonanso .anl Corporal
Iaugbcin, both having secured the npuo.nt-
| ~ ant OF ilicals g. slurcurrs On the flrco, de-
| clared Il Illegal 90 q isturb those appointed
Lawyer BfluEpt, WHO wants AN uli ointment.
orator Knowles, and arnar Case. who have
| occurred theirs objected 90 cutting on nuyh1dy'-
head Tho Assembly then dcciicd-7l 10 %
| not io disiurb any Qt those already appointed.
| even though several had notliag TO 10 except
| draw pay, and unanimously voted TO recofn-
| mend that a bill De prepared cutting OF al the
con ultt'o IN ssoA-rrs and lart OF the commit
tee clerks FOR future Assemblies.
Next came tho third proposition oi the report
! that Two more officers bc appointed for the scs-
sion. Against this Mr. Skinner spoke. moving
/ T. strike out the two extra officers and direct
i N.aH - OF
| Ierfuous forco 10 the duties IN the mail nnl
| wrapping department. H. knew that this mo-
teans Who orSf,ss 70 eSn ssi ~ ~ h ',T aS,.
with tic dH'olscs oi Inironag .. md 10. army oi
| D 4 constituents md the people. lIn was
taking the same posit.on Of every business
| man. that Io person should ic employed unless
| nero was s}n"thi x f.r MN g. t9. ,Nur.r OF
| the present tol'c have nothln. to d' hut draw
! pay and are constantly Ia The way and bother
| ing tAnsr Nie nave snmtthing 81 DO. On" ul
| the present officers had asked 10 he assigned 10
TIE duties IN tho mail or wrapping room. be-
| cause he y Mas ashamed ot being Idle Il seemed.
| 10y tho talk hero. 10 be Illegal 10 set officers nj
| work who were under p1yani who had nothing
| 90 DO, hat 20 ue right 90 appo' VI more t.an Inc
! law provides for. The Republican party lad I'm
| l;s CphNcut4ole. on several occasions. passed
| resolutions molg.us he party to cut n useless
| Of 'crs and sinc.urcs. and 20 economy.
| Lucky GRADY hurried 10 the rescue Of Oh
Soii. PnI tae triot ~ ias Commiitc" H. III
| Il,s s"ltlcd the question and the members da-
| c.d 'd 81 to ~. thW hone Of the present idle
pot. but that two new men should be solicited
! Tor That duty 90 watch the tNina aud wrapping
! paper ana sen that all documents are sent IN
BY cNtendinsy tho session the members were
| onnblei 20 present another batch q bills.
| Among them were three presented by Mr.. VAR
num- to make the offices - sheriff. County
| clerk, and Eeshier in New York salaried onl-
c"s after the aspiration o. the terms Of tina
| present incunlh henis. and all ices collected by
| th"lu paid 10 tho clty-thc salary OF Sheriff To
be $1,000 Register and County Clerk 10000