New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-10
4 PRIZE WORTH STRIVING FOR.

The Republicans had majority of eight in
the last Senate and a majority OF thirty In the
last Assembly of this State. For all ordinary
purposes majorities as large as these are sufli-
cient. But they are not large enough to pass
a bill over the Governors veto. The Consti-
tuition provides that vetoed bill shall become
law notwithstanding the objections OF the
Governor" only in case it receives a vote OF
two thirds of all the members elected to both
the Senate and Assembly. That is to say, If
the Republicans of the great Empire State ex-
pect to bring about excise reform or ballot re-
form while David B. Hill is Governor they must
send twenty two of their representatives to the
Senate and eightysix to the Assembly 1t
might be possible to override one of the Gov
eInors anti-reform vetOeS with less Repub-
lican vote, since a. few Democrats might be
found in both houses who would break away
from their party associates for the sake OF
serving the public veal. But the record made
by the minority in the last Legislature proves
that it is not wise to expect Democratic law
makers to do anything for reform The Dem
ocratic Senators and Assembymen of 1889 pre-
sented a solid front in opposition to the Excise
and the SaXtOn bills.
Can the Republicans secure two-thrds ma
jority in both houses next winterP They GER
tainly can if they do their very best in all the
districts There were seventy nine Repub-
licans in the last Assembly. a gain of seven
votes would render Governor Hill powerleSs
for evil so far as that house was concerned.
Before Senator Low died the last Senate con-
tanned twenty-One Republicans-within one OF
two thirds majority. These are encouraging
figures, and the prize to which we point our
friends throughout the State is one which may
well stimulate them to strenuous eXertions. To
day Governor Hill, the official head of the De-
mocracy of New York, is the one great STUN
bling block in the path of reform. 1t will take
the lever of two thirds Republican majority
to remove him from the path. Let the county
committees and other party organizations look
carefully over the field and then get zealously to
work. What is to prevent the redemption OF
the XIIIth and the XVIth Senatorial districts
President Harrison carried the Orange Sullivan
district last fall-et the men who worked fOl
him resolve to elect Republican to the Senate
this fall In 1885 the Republicans Of the
Rensselaer, Washington district elected theil
Senatorial candidate by a majority of over
lO,tUU, inc DCliIOCIdlS DClIONllS bi'u ~ N'''
useless for them to make a nomination. Surely
there ought to be good deal more than fight
ing chance for Republicans in district with
such record. And so with the Assembly. In
Westchester, in Niagara, in Richmond and in
Kings, and in other of the counties, unity I'M
excoptonabe candidates and hard work ought
to result in Republican gains.
Our friends have much TO encourage them IN
making the effort this year. The Republican
record in the last Legislature on all the great
measures in which the people Of this State were
most interested forms an unanSWerable cam
paign document. They met the best eXpecta
tons touching temperance reform, ballot re-
form, the prisons, the canals, public education
And what did the minority do? 1t devoted
most of its energies to embarrassing the ma
jority. 1t was minority which did little els(
than stupidity oppose. 1t originated nothing
and helped along hardly anything which meant
public advantage. In these circumstances tho
Republicans may well see their opportunity t
secure two thirds vote 1t certainly ought no
to be difficult to convince the voters that tho
fewer Democrats they send to the Legislature
the better for the common veal