New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-01-15

SOME GGESTIONS no THE LEGISLATURE.
Now that the standing committees have been
named the Legislature is ready to go ahead.
In both the Senate and Assembly are many
members who not only appreciate what ought
to be done this winter but have learned by
previous service at Albany what is the best
way to do it. These are the sagacious and ex-
perienced men who are expected to come to the
front and lead. Every Legislature contains
good bad and Indifferent material. and as rule
when the good aggressively asserts itself 1t is
suffered to control. Last years session was by
no means a creditabe one, and yet both the
upper and the lower house could boast OF tired
and true Legislators who were intent only upon
doing the best they could by the people. But
the trouble was that this element seemed lack
ing in energy, and in that courage which never
shrinks from calling spade spade.
The Legislature of 1856 was not indeed
elected on any distinctive "reiOrm ISSUE" So
called, but all the same, its thoughtful members
cannot fail to realize that it is e4pected to be
genuine reform body Speaker Hustled has led
the way with excellent new rules and amend
ments to old ones, while both he and President
Pitts of the Senate have gone Tar to secure the
best results for the session by appointing stand
ing committees that are generally commended
except by the third house. Now what shall be
the next step fOrward2 We submit that 1t
might we'll take the shape of resolution
abridging or doing away entirely with the
weekly adjournment. Under the order OF
things which has prevailed for many years, the
Legislature during the greater part of the
winter makes no Roadway to speak of except
during three days of the week. The rule is to
adjourn shortly after noon on Friday until
Monday evening. Fridays session is usually
unimportant, and Mondays session is often
SHINY attended. Besides the early hour at
which the adjournment takes place and the late
hour of reconvening forbid the holding of com
mittee meetings on either Friday or Monday
These facts are of great assistance to any one
WIN is curious to know why it takes the Legis-
lature so long to do so little. Until near the
end of the session the members only give three
days out of seven to serious business Is not
reform desirable Just here7 Why not hold two
sessions on Friday, one in the morning and the
other in the evening, so that only Saturday
and Monday may be lost. Or why not adjourn
Saturday noon instead of Friday nOOnf Or
why not abandon all the adjournments except
ment-let the members retrench their
vacations.
Another point worthy of consideration is pre-
cedency in legislation. A number of measures
of large public interest will come before this
Legislature. Municipal evils are to be re-
dressed the prisons are to be given policy /;
taxation problems are to be solved; important
agricultural interests are to conserved; the
future of the canals is to he made sure. Now
until such matters-not to speak of the great
financial bills providing for the support OF gov
ernment--are disposed of, bills which have
only local or private Importance ought lot to
receive attention. The explanation of the fall
ure of many a bill whose passage would have
been a public benefit is that it got through
one house but the Legislature adjourned be-
fore it was reached in the other" There is
abundance of time to dispose of all bills which
really concern the public welfare. Other bills
Gin afford to wait and when consider at the
expense of such measures as those we have re-
ferred TO, they become nuisances.