New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-02
THE STATE CONSTITUTION.
su,1J THERE BE A CoNvENTIoNf
-. rrAns nEQuIREMENT-sUGdEsTED

...rvrv YEARS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
VIM MISUNDERSTANDING THE LEGISLATURE
s,rc1,1 CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNBl
sn,rv Dec. Under the commands Oh
,'- . ., Article XIII of the Constitution inc
80. ~ tIs state Will vote in November next upon IN"
fnos,Ion, shall there be Convention 10
SO",,trtiop and amend the samef' Every twenty
or,,o declares this question Shall DC SUI
United TO the pe"ple' 10 ~
nj the Constitution ,. o-o.ad
Tn tbe interval between 1869, when Tue laS' Pr0Fo
,i,r,i,n wasy rejected and-the present year, se'e'"
,nortant amendments have been maze 10 Tue |on'''
;r NV the action of the Legislature and The peoPe'
n,pv of these amendments formed part Oh tDe Cohs'u
-, seo which was rejected AS "a whole Governor
.ion u ~ , tina, these suggested amendments would
800 IN. government OF the State and at MS sugSes-
,,on Constitutional Commission was appointed 10 10 =
% consider Them The commission consisted OF thi'
,o citizens selected evenly frCm the two great pocd
,r,es After careful examination OF the amendments
tbec approyed OF ALL the amendments were also
approved by the Legislature twice. anu "e'0 '10
submitted to the people and adopted
so mnch more work acceptable to the people was uoo
hr tbe Constitutional Commission of 1877 than py 1ne
constitutional Convention Of 1869 thaV IL mas 'o
eucgestcd lately that the former be suosutu'eu i ~
latter next year 1t is said that the LeSIS'''ii "f
meeting In conjunction with Governor nm ni'e - y,
the members of Constitutional Commission ana tnaV II
49,, 80 dore the people I'm November next would
obablv vote in opposition the holding OF Cohsutu
tional Convention. Opposition 10 the holding Oh Oon
stitutional Convention is made on the Srounu Una" " %
foo large body to do effective work DelhS comP'S VI
four delegates from each of the thrty7two senatorial
di,r,cts and thirty-two deegates-at-large, or 100
nersons in ALL smaller body OF men, like the consul
t,nopal Commission OF 1872, 1t is argued, would
accomplish more. 1t 10 strongly suspected here4ha'
Governor Hill favors the Constitutional commission
MAN One of his org The BGtto Courier is pressing
II upOn the attention of the members OF the Legislature
and IL is thought that the Governor may make inc
loading subiect of his annual to the Legislature
in January next
o,a nj the amendments to the Constitution already
surcesed is one recurring certain number OF votes Tor
the adoption OF amendment. At present there Is no
re1ureulent; mere majority is suhcleDt, no matter
how SMALL nor does 1t matter what proporon the vote
cast for an amendment bears to that cast Tor instance
for a candidate for Governor This disparity between
the two votes was illustrated strkingy In lss2 when
persons who voted for Governor ala not vote at
all NJ on the Canal Amendment; and 59091l persons
did not vote question OF increasing the OF
su1reme Court judges. Even greater indifference to
amendments to the Constitution is sometimes shown
section Of Article VI was amended in 1879 by total
vote for and against It Of only 10000 while s966l6
votes we're cast for the candidates for Governor In
many Of the amendment OF the Constitution is
declared adopted unless il receives vote III excess OF
majority OF the total number OF votes cast Tor
for state officers. II Is proposed TO engratt similar
usthJd upOn the Constitution OF this state; thus
preventing the adoption Of amendments by minority OF
Tie voters .--
General j. w. Husted's recent suggestions for an I'M
movement methods Of legislation. II Il tpOugh
would also receive attention from Constitutional Com
mission. Practically bills passed by the Legs
la.ure without consideration, most OF them being
adoptad hy the last three four days of It's session
and of course they do not anything bat the
Slightest examination. II IS legislation in the dark
General usteds suggestion that the various appropra
ton bills he all passed certain period before the day
Adjournment OF the Legislature, In order that th'
Governor may have a chance OF correcting any errors s
regarded as good The evil OF passing important
appropriation bills the last day OF tue session might
lie corrected by the Legislature itself but that Uody
annarenflg docs not have the resolution 10 do 50.
Some members Of the incoming Legislature favor
an Amendment the Constitution limit the power OF
me legislature TO impose financial burdens upOu cities
They would deprive the Legislature OF all initiative an
tbiS matter. They point - the financial burdens oi
N.w.Y ork mainly imposed by the legislature as proc!
Cf the fact that the Legislature cannot safely Ice
permitted To say what expenditures city shall make
The constitutional amendment which limits the
amount debt city contract, VIII OF course some
what curtail the Legislatures powers I'm the same
respect but It is held that city should alone have the
power deci 10 what amounts OF money II VIII eXend
and for what purpose II the should decide that
The bonds i'm the sinking Fund of New York. amounting
TO 80 900 600 offset It's debt 20 that amount. the city
will he at liberty TO eXpend S25,0O0.OO0 additional
before It reaches the constitutional limit; at present
SIlGs5O.OO Shall the LEGISLATURE or the people OF
New-YOrk decide how this money shall be spent I
Fortunately for the City OF NewYOrk much Of this large
sum Is already pledged TO the construction OF the new
aQueiuct.