New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-20
FASTING TIME AT ALBANf.

The LEGISLATURE now in the sixteenth week
of the session, is still dawdling away Its time.
Not one in a hundred of the bills introduced
has been sent to the Governor. Perhaps IL Is
as well that nine out of ten OF those measures
should never reach that official But such az
are for the public good should be passed at
once There is ample time to do that ana yet
permit of final adjournment within the next
two weeks. Recent events ought to impress
upon the members the great Importance Oh
such action. The longer they remain at the
CAPITAL the greater are the dangers TO winch
they are exposing their regulations. Inc Joo-
bers are becoming active and bold, and they
always look for their harvest in the closing
weeks of the session. If a day for final ad-
iournment we're fixed upon at once, allowing
time only for the passage of the necessary bilis'
it would be of decided advantage to the MEM
bers and to the public as well as to the party III
control of the Legislature.
The scandals growing out of the recent at
tempt to push through jobs in the interest OIL
Commissioner Squire and other Democrats not
only have an injurious public effect, but they
have done much to tarnish the regulations OF
some of the members. Unfortunately num-
Der of equally bad measures are awaiting favor
able opportunities fo- passage. Some OF these
bills have been favorably reported by the Sen
ate Committee on Cities and a less number by
the Assembly Committee 1t is significant that
in the membership of the Senate Committee are
to be found the men who have prevented action
on the Assembly resolution for final adjourn
ment. They cannot afford longer to assume The
responsibility for such action. They Will be
held to strict accountability, and when the
record of the session comes to be made up they
will find written down in black and white what
they nav now think escapes observation.
That the session shonld be a clean one is to
the Republican party of pre-emincnt import
ance. A contest of great moment to its future
is soon to be fought in this State. 1t will have
to meet an unusually well-eQuipped and I'M
scrupulous enemy. 1t expects the men to whom
it has intrusted power at Albany to prepare the
party for that contest by presenting a record to
the people that will at least be clear from stain.
But It cannot sit with patience and see these
men trifle with the public business and scan
dalize the party by endeavoring to pass
measures intended to strengthen the enemy or
to benefit individuals. One such bill-that to
increase the number of Aqueduct Commission
ers-was sent to the Governor and was vetoed.
The men responsible for the passage OF that bill
are the same persons who are pushing Mr.
Sources Jobs and who are opposing adjourn
ment. and who have delayed action on the
Adirondack bills. They defeated the bill to
compel certain county officers to make an ac-
counting of their fees, and have assisted in
delaying the Bridge, High Building and other
measures of public Importance.
OF a piece with such action was the caucus
held last week at which a committee with the
notorious Jimmy" Oliver at its head was ap-
pointed to report excise legislation. Whatever
may have been the purpose, such action Mt TINS
time in the session simply has the appearance
of calling to the attention of the liberia handed
dealers in iquor the fact that the Legislature is
still in session and open to business. AS there
is no public need or demand for excise leeisla-
tim such as "Jimmy" Oliver proposes. the
Republican majority cannot undertake such
work, and it ought to repuilate in advance any
responsibility for the acts of that mixed COM
mit.ee. 1t can best do that by at once fixing
upon an early date for final adjournment.
During last week the Niagara Reservation
bill was sent to the Governor, and the general
appropriation bill was agreed upon III both
houses Now let Mr.. Hustled push forward his
Adirondack bills and with the passage of those,
and a few such good measures as General
Curtls's Printing bill, which has already passed
the third reading the Legislature may yet close
up with good record. But it must sit down
on the Jobs which come through the Committee
on Cities. Mr.. Hendricks is doing good work
in opposing those measures and Mr.. Hawkins
equally good work in standing firm against lax
methods in legislation. The great and inn
portant thing to do, however, is to fix upon an
early date for adjournment.