New-York tribune., 1882-04-07
THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
THE RAILWAY COMMISSION BILL.


ORDERED TO A THIRD READING AFTER AN EXCITING
SCENE IN TIE AssEMBLY-NoT AMENDED IN ANY
IMPORTANT PARTICULAR.
[PRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIguNE.l
ALBANY, April 6.-The Railroad Commission
OF Mr.. Baker shpwreck to-day, but was saved
Of last When the Assembly met Mr. Wclch. OF
Niagara County leader among the Regular Democrats,
moved that amendment should bc adopted conicrrng
upon tho people the right elect the Railroad Commits
soDers Under the bill the Commissioners are TO be ap-
pointed by the Governor with the consent oi the
Senate In support of his OlutiOn Mr. Wech made
long speech, dlating especially on the superiority o
the method of securing Commissioners pr opposed by him.
self over that proposed by MIR. Baker His chlci argu
mcnt that il moro demo ratio TO nave
the Commissioners selected in this manner Mr..
McClcand another Regular Democrat, supported
Mr.. Wclch's lment. He read from Anti-Nonop-
oily address Issued by rammany Hall an argument In Ia
Of the election Of the Commissioners by the people
the ground that mOnOpOlsts would surely contrOi
Governor in the appointment oI the Com
missioners Mr. Baker said that if this kind OF
talk continued the bill would De defeated. Mr. Benedict
another Regular Democrat, however, continued In the
strain of partisan appeal lie assaed Governor
Cornell for his appointments, and argued that 1t wonld
be unsafe for the Legislature % iutrust him
with the power Of appointing tho Com
missoners After further remarks by Mcssrs. Alvoid
and Butts a vote taken on Mr. Welcls amendment.
vote of 90 81 Mr Baker instantly moved that the
Committee OF the WhOe which the bill had been de
batod should rise and report progress the BILL The
motion adopted.
Ia the Assembly il was discovered that Mr.. Wclch's
amendment mad not been included III Mr Bkcrs notion
Nj Benedict, therefore, moved that the amendment
should be made part Of the bill, and demanded the yeas
and nays. The vote evenly divided; so
evenly that il watched with keen interest by all IN
the Assembly Chamber. At one time it stood SO yeas To
81 nays. Then Mr.. Floyd, Of IIOga County, who had
voted In the Affirmative chan ged s vote To the negative.
ma ~ Dte fi Ia
flash recorded his vote in the negative also There wcro
some further changes, but the majority remained
against tbs amendment, II finally being an
nOuDccd as 81 yeas and 63 nays. An analysis
OF the tally list showed that little group
of Arthur Republicans had voted with the X, gIlar
Democrats for the amendment, and therefore against
Governor Cornell having the power 10 appoint the Com
mi-sOncrs. These men BrOlsky, Crane, Griffin ana
Scnoonmaker. Thcy had ~ allies Messrs. Fenner
pleased with Governor Cornell because he vetoed
their OeOuargarne blls last year. All the other
III laNor OI the amendment were given by Regular Dem
Mr.. Baker then moved that the hill should
be ordered to third reading. Although the
Democratic state Convention adopted plank
Last iaH fhNOring railroad commission the
Regular Democrats now almost all voted against Mr..
Bakers motion. Ihey wil doubtless vote against the
OIL on It, hna passage thus illustrating the ncOnsst-
ency between their party platforms and their acts.
Nearly all the votes 10 advance the bill given by
l.cpnhl cans. All the IaInmany Democrats voted in
and was 40 follows lhepubic.sns in EOnan Democrats
III .tittcsl