New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-26

! WY THERE rs NO DEAOCR11iC ADDRESS
! No sooner had the Democratic Legislature Of
I 1883 adjourned than the Republican members OF
( that body proceeded 60 issue an address to the
Deoplc of the State in relation To the character
{ of the work of the session. This address bore
very heavily against the Democracy. Ii was
one of the most effective Of the weapons used
/ aeainst our opponents in the campaign OF last
/ fall-a campaign resulting in the restoration OF
Z the Republicans to power in both Sena te and
/ A ss;.mbly.
/ Well the Republican Legislature of 1881 has
now stood adjourned without day over week.
/ No address has been issued by the minority nor
is there talk of one. Why not Obviously
because on the whole, this Legislature has
done WELL just as, the whole; the last LeSiSia-
ture did poorly The chief count III the indct-
ment drawn up Last year WAS that the tax levy
of 8S3 amounted to 3.2J mills, as against :. 10
mills in 1882. If the Democratic members had
issued an address this year they would have
/ been compelled either to keep silent about the
taxes or else to record the significant TACT that
the Legislature of 1884 had reduced the tax
rate from 3.25 TO 2.57l2 mills. Another I'M
portant count in last years indictment related
| TO the prison contract system. Attention was
called to the fact that the Democratic LeSisla-
ture of 1888, in the face of Democracy6 Oft
repeated p.otestatlons of ardent devotion to
the workingman," had meanly lodged the
whole question by resorting to the cheap and
cowardly device of referring it 0 the popular
vote But if there was d Democratic address
this year it would necessarily contain no refer
eiice at all to the prison contract system OF else
il would bear witness that the Republican
Legislature of 1884 had passed bill which
abolishes the present sy stem OF Contract LABOR.
True the bill does not go rs far as IL might.
True. all the same, that this Legislature ala
something positive and definite, while the last
Legislature simply winked and washed its hands
of its own plain duty and responsibility III the
premises A third count in the indictment OF
last year was that the Democrats have not
"listcned to the petitions of NewIOTk tax
GpayeIs" This is another subject not calcu-
lated to light up well in q Democratic address.
1t would be awkward not 10 allude to the legis-
lation for the metropolis, and yet how exceed
ingly difficult to refer to the notable series of
reform bills without making capital for the Re-
publicansl
1t is easy TO understand. therefore, why no
address - TO the people has been issued by the
minority of the Legislature of 1884. 1t was
omitted owing to circumstances not under
the minoritys control. 1t was omitted be-
cause there was infinitely more to praise than to
blame in the course of the Republicans who
shaped the legislation of the year. That some
of the Democratic members contributed to the
gratifying result is freely conceded Hartford
d. Nelson, of Otsego, and Thomas v WEIGH. OF
Niagara, for instance, as members of the special
committee ON the affairs OF the metropolis,
worked in harmony with the Republican men,
beers for wholesome.reform. If Democrats.are to
DO returned from those counties they arc the