New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-06-16
THE ELECTION BILL VETOED
WHY THE GOVERNOR DID NOT APPROVE IT.

ALBANY, juno 15.-GOvernOr Hill to-day
decided no, to approve Senator Days bill providing for
spring cleo lions NewYork and the election OF Alder
men in that city by q system OF cumulative voting.
Tho measure drawn up ny Speaker Hus'oi ana
Assemblyman Lyon ana passed by good majorities In
both branches OF tho Legislature. Governor LII says
In his memorandum
This bill illustrates conspIcuously the method by
which mcrtorlous measure can DO weighed down ~
additions contrary IN character ana repugnsnb even
actually hostile to les spirit originally advanced
There are contained within It distinct propositions
each NJ which alone would make radical change in tue
system at present prevailing FOR the election OF import
municipal officers for SewYork City. These three
propositions arc as io.lows ,,-, ,.,
Tie first provides for spring municipal elections.
The second provides for the election OF Aldermen upon
The third provides Of what Is known Us tho
proceed TO consider the rst proposed change, that
which provides for spring municipal e.eollons Upou
this question Ihavo various OCCASIONS my
opinion without hesitation uncertainty. My annual
essage transmitted 10 the Legislature January 6loSo
that il would relieve the choice OF local officers from
the influence OF strictly partisan pohtics; tnat ~
would leave the election OF state or NATIONAL ON
GERS free from the embarrassment OF local contests and
that IL would do away largely with the opportunity Tor
In my message OF January 5. 1856. 1 again
reiterated my suggestions. but no effective action
Ing days of the session. Then the bill now under
consideration was passed and sent TO the E1ec1-
tive only after the Legislature had adjourned. and,
therefore too late permit OF any notifications or
amendments which might clearly appear 70 he neces-
admitted importance 10 NewYofk City. received no
consideration at the hands OF the legislature
and WAS all only during the buried ana
In r, ~ n'orths Yer rtfhstandire certain
antiquities preston and doubt as To the terms OF
OF the officers affected, II the proposition Tor spring
elections stood alone wonid assuredly approve IT.
But the b goes further The second proposition
Incorporated therein 10 the change proposed IN
the election OF Aldermen. ihc Board IS sdueed ~
operation the term Is to be tour years with one hal OF
vv,.l I've me all
York thus secure adequate representation. New,
York is great city whose interests varied and
numerous The more representative its Aldermanc
bo,y be made within Reasonable limits me iess
liability there Will be for corruption undue influence
upon the action OF sucn q body am OF the belief that
more Board tn IN that proposed is desirable
and will tend secure more satisfactory city govern
But there is a third proposed change, more radical
than of these This is known as tho cuInua-
method OF voting. Properly speaking, there 10 no
homogeneous minority in New York CiIy But there
are numerous diversified mlnorities Inc advocates Oh
system inevitably and automatically led 10 the
powerful minortles would secure representative IN
tho Board Of Aldermen. Minori ties made up upon the
basis OF religion, OF occupation, OF wealth. or OF
poverty would secure representation. Broken INTO
classes OF every sort and description tse electors OF New
at age and desiring TO serve mparsay all interests,
but men dependent Tor favor u.on aud endcayoring
TO whose satisfy yos sso ,y were Paca in co It
would DO the rule OF the machine indeed,
teen selfish combinations which religion OF oceupa-
ton would bring effectively to the surface IN brief
cOmpacted, politically perpeHing ana historically MiE
community is TO be committed to the trial oil
device which has been. with limited measure OF
success, heretofore applied only 10 small SIMPLY Or
yanlzed constituencies The electors choice OF where
he will bostow his cumulative privilege IS to be eSer-
cised upon two or more likely upon three or more
tickets containing either seven or fourteen names
IL IL believed that appreciate number OF Inc
OF NewYork CITY Will make this choce LOT teh
selves
More than 700 polling places must be manned. II in.
dvidlals. or II any hastily organized BODY OF ndyldUa
citizens attempt to exercise such choice as ms pi
To lriy
siby they could elect one. two or three Aldermen lhey
can DO so now But 1t must DO any observer OF
poitcs that the choice apparently provided Tor
Is u delusion; that 1t Will be made. not NY Tue
individual! yO,er-or II 50 made Will be iraiticss-out
will be made him by the caucus. the committee III
short by the dreaded machine which such enact nents
as tins are proies-edy devised 10 o'efthfoW oncu q
scheme this bill contains would tie the indepehhent
voter hand and foot. lie must act with arge number
OF others or he eau accomplish hOthh% IN oiucL 70 ~
act he must 30 one OF an organization; mat orgah1a
Tons existence is at once known to the professional
politicians ana these latter measure Tvs stehSth ND
fear it, they sink their ordinary aDmos ties and conth
lions in rccognIioa Of the necessity Oh iacins common
Thus the individuals Importance Is absolutely obht-
directed by organized effort which effort III 10 tarh WIZ
be effective when employed 10 directing body OF
LOYAL and unthnkiug followers, which means that the
best machine and the most onedent ami thoroughgoing
parsans would profit most by this feature 0t tue BILL
The OF this plan concede that II IS an expert
n - single municipality in the Unlted states.
Prior resurrection late In the season OF 1885, 1t
had not been demanded BY am public meeting Of Gill
OF Newlork. II had not been foTiaalY asked i2r
hy any reform association OF that city Not snge pub
ic OF any prominence had urged It's adoption Not
single newspaper in NcwY0rk had su-gcsted its in
corporation IN the measure for spring elections.
The Only place in this country where the - item Is ID
operation appears 20 be me state OF Illinois H. - mere
applied solely dis.rcts electing three local judges or
lation tAan the city OF New whose
equal to at least twotbs Of the whole state OF Illinois
Even that State II Is not applied 10 tie election OF
II is evident that there sincere desire upon the
part OF majority OF the last Legislature give New
York the benefit OF spring elections That majority
could have done it in 1889 They could have done # this
moment, and only passed the bill when this doubtful
provision fos ed upon it.
More attention TO the duties OF the primary elections Is
one OF the real needs OF NewYork When this attention
given vote for honest candidate is all
complicated plan the effect of which is to legalze the
VOTING a candidate than once will not bring the
reform in municipal affairs that New-lOrG City SO
do not rest my decision mainly upon any grounds OF
IT must be conceded however that
crave doubts whether this system OF voting is
permitted by our constitution The "eecIions" refer
red In Constitution at tho time OF its adoption
understood lie Of the character contemplated
by this measure II Is certainly TO be regretted that this
scheme spring elections and possibly also to be
GREETED that the plan for the election OF Adermeat'
harSe, ~ ., 20 b ~ , 5ever Won5 nor 20 into
effect until April. 1887. 1t is Intention to renew
in January next recommendation for the passage OF
a simple and incomplete ed act to secure to the czens
Of NewYork spring elections and the Legislature OF
1857 can. II 1t is disposed make my accommodation
.uectual by the prompt passage or such a measure
which can 20 into PRACTICAL effect at the same date as Is
propose! by the oil before me- Inc same Sehale "ncu
has passed this bill Will act upon my recommendation
next year. 1t IL to hoped that an Assembly Will be
chosen which will distort good measure BIZ weigh
ing IL down by adding Objectionable even II not uncon-
| stitutlOnal provisions.
Inc principal object OF this system announced by
ts Advocates to secure minority representation mo
minority party New-York CIty-the word minority
having OF the principal political parties
into which people dlyded-had ample representa-.
under the system established In 1873 ana continued
until 1882. when abolished with somuch nnanmlty
under lead OF Mr. Roosevelt Besides II thAt 10 the
object ured under the tweny-IOnr dstrlct sys-
EN- now In operation Minority representation alone
aud Of ITSELF will reform the government OF New.
York The minority OF the Board OF Aldermen OF 1884
were not less corrupt than the majority. Under such
circumstances minority representation IL not so desra
Ia to Oyerurn one great theOry OF
as II has prevailed In the past and enter
upon u doubtful and almost untred experiment IL Is
evident members OF the minority OF
the City OF NewYork who desire not only To do all the
thinking. but are Wiling and anxious to do a nnch
larger proportion OF the voting than falls tn their sn re-
The OF the people must rule In New-fork tlty
tho In other parts OF the state. minority III
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