New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-25
COMPULSORY LEGISLATION BILL.


what is known as the Compulsory Education
law. Its design is to compel children to attend
school, during a stated portion of each year,
who but for the law, would never devote any
apprecable time to gaining the rudiments OF
education.
1t occurs to us that il would be good thing
for the people if. taking hint from this meas
ure, a law should be enacted compelling our
Albany legislators to legslate reasonable
number of hours on reasonable number OF
secular days, from the opening to the close OF
the session. AS it Is, the Senate and Assembly
get tired too easily and too frequently, and stay
tired too long at time. Once when Charles
Lamb was a clerk in the East India House,
the complaint was made that he had got into
the habit Of coming down very late in the morn
ing. @Well,n said Lamb in defence, "if
"cOme down very late in the morning, l make
Hup for it by going away very early IN tho
"afternoon.r Possibly If the Legislature were
criticised for not getting together until III a. m
it would reply that that uds pretty late in the
morning, but that p. M, the regular hour OF
adjournment, was uncommOnly early in the
afternoon. It turns ont, however, that the
present Legislature cannot be depended upon
n. m. on Tuesday, Wednesday aud Thursday.
OF course everybody knows that 10y the time
Friday arrives our law makers are so sorcly In
need of rest and recuperalion that they find 1t
necessary TO adjourn Nh hour earlier than
p. m. on that day, and that they do not recover
their wonted health and strength until 8 p. m.
on Monday. But leaving Friday, Saturday
Sunday and Monday out Of sight. and gener-
ously concoding that legislators may properly
claim the whole or the larger part Of four days
out of seven for vacation, it would seem not too
frigbtfully unfair to demand that on the three
working days that remain they should attend
to the business of their respective Houses at
least from IL a. m. until 2 p. m.
All the same sundrY Senators aud Assembly
men, who realize how easy It Is to impair the
human constitution and who presumably have
the figures showing how large proportion of
the population Is killed 10y overwork, hold other
WISE And hence il happened that so many
members we're absent from the Senate during
business hours one day last week that the iIu-
portant order of third reading of bills had TO
be dispensed with and hence also it happened
that on Tuesday of this week the Assembly adj
journod prematuroly. owing to the fact that it's
committees, worn out by the herculean labors
consequent upon the protracted session of the
main body, bad not been able to turn out
work enough to keep the Committee of the
Whole in operation.
The remedy for this discredItable state of
things is compulsory legislation bill. Some
thing of this sort for instance;
The People OF the state OF NewYork, represented In
Senate aud Assembly, do enact as folowsi
nh IL. 10 ~ NJ hH
counties are hereby authorized and required TO arrest
aud act Ia work at the business OF legislation all Senator'S
and Assomblymen whom they. the said Governor aud
Sheriff. may catch IN the act OF not esatng between
the hours OF 10 n and p. IN. OF each day In the
week during tho Saturday and Sunday excepted
sECrIos 2.-Tho Governor and shorim Aforesaid arc
further authorized and required 10 arrest and set 10
work In committee rooms all committeeman whom they,
the said Governor and Sheriff. may catch In the act of
not being engaged ia committee business between tho
hours OF 3 D. m. and .. OF each day In the week
during the session OF tho Legislature Saturday and
Sunday excepted.
srorlos AN Senators and Assemblymen who shall
resi, being arrested when caught above set FORTH
on conviction shn be barred and prohbIted from pao
ing themselves Ia the hands Of their friends with view
20 reelection
sgoros An acts or parts OF acts and oil habits or
parts OF habits Inconsistent with tho provisions OF this
act arc hereby repealed aud declared abandoned
SECTION o-Thls act shall take effect immediately.
Such a relief bill, or one embodying its essen
tal features, would necessarily accomplish
wholesome reform. 1t would be fatal to dead
locks and dilly Qualifying. 1t would be condu-
Give TO short, productive sessions. 1t would de-
prve the lobby of much Of its opportunity for
evil. 1t would save the State considerable
money What legislator who has statesman
ship all before him where to choose, and de-
sres to make Roadway with his level headed
constituents, will introduce it9