New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-25

REPU BLICANS THINK A HALF LOAF BETTER
THAN NOTHING
THE sAxToy SUBSTITUTE BALLOT REFORM
MEASURE PASSED IN THE SENATE
As ORIGINALLY DRAWN.


As ORIGINALLY DRAWN.
Albany, April Ct Cspecial)-As was hintcd in the
dispatches last night. the Republican Senators this
morning reconsidered the vote on the compromise
BALLOT Reform bill struck out the amendments and
passed IL in the shape which Governor Hill admits is
unobiectionable The Governor find no
earthly pretext for Withholding his approval The
Republicans If they have not yielded everything have
Welded far more than the least partisan had right
10 expect and enough TO show that they have acted
in the most absolute good faith throughout.
This decision OF course not reached without
earnest protest from some loyal party As Mr..
Fassett said on The floor this morning. the bill I'M
doubtedly falls wofuly short OF the ideal measure.
on general principles the concessions 1t implies would
be rejected as dangerous and unreasonable But the
people want Ballot Reform. and it is small credit
TO the Republican legislators that they should have
had the courage to sink every personal and party
consideration and accept the only bill II is possible to
extort from a stubborn Executive. The Governor and
his friends WILL no doubt blow their horn pretty
loudly this result Of his interruptions tactics.
But anybody who knows the true extent Of the Re
publican sacrifice VIII understand how compare his
achievement with theirs The reform will come. not
because he has succeeded in embarrassing its friends
among the Republicans. but because they have dis
PLAYED a measure Of virtue OF which he dreamed
them capable.
The senate reconsidered its vote of Tuesday Mr..
saxtons motion. After this had been done he
said:
Mr. President: This ia the bill that was
passed the day before yesterday IL will be re-
memborcd that 1t amended somewhat The bill
introduced last Friday The change made in on its
final passage simply with regard to the language.
which gave the voter the privilege Of taking pas:er
ballot the booth and using II. The only important
respect in which it then differed from the bill vetoed by
10 the separate ballots. The proyl-
sion paste ballots was in both the bills vetoed by
the during the last years. although not in
exactly the same language The amended compromise bill
gave him The privilege conferred in those no
other.
Some Of my Republican friends. however have not been
able agree with me that proposition They have
never considered The matter. perhaps have. they
at any rate. about it. They thought
bill DID FAR than the other bills in tina. direction
Rut think they / correct my inference
The difference between the two bills Is Of language
said before and ro Of substance. They don't desire
stand mere question Of form language Whether
the Governor wants 10 stand nero forms not.
the conclusion thai afford take
any such attitude II he thinks he afford stand
mere language We believe be cannot and believe
cannot. Therefore far concerned and / think
the Republicans Of the House and sena:e with
they willing that the language Of the original Bill
should BE- ronserted think
that we have conceded everything % the Governor
Mr.. snxton then offered tic unamended bin as
substitute for that passed by the Senate on Tuesday
Mr.. Cantor, Of course. ungracious enough 10
try to make party capital on the spot out Of this
handsome retracton. But he ended by cOngratuating
the Republicans, declared that every objection raised
by the Governor had now been removed and that
the minority would favor the substitute
Il don't qhifc agree Wit! Mr.. Saxt0nr Mr.. Fas
sctt frankly declared. ." think still that the bill is
miserable substitute for the genuine article. But
when | that the minority Will vote for ii, VINO
have announced on this floor repeatedly that they
never would vote for ballot reform under any cir
cumstanoes. l persuaded that the of reform
T. tdy sid lf my ut.,sft
yield lnch-never, never. lever. would hght
tho fight on the Lone we have pursued. Yet since
all these thousands Of people who have identified
themselves with ;lie reform have besougli give
them BILL think the denial ought t. from
u. For four years the people have been sitting
Chamber asking for Ballot Reform, and now that
there seems u be some chance Of II, even in this
halfway form, IL would not he right 10 them n throw
IL away. for one am willing 70 let my personal
prejudice sense Of allegiance 70 the dignity Of this
body deter from bowling TO re will OF the people
in This matter. But Of my convictions. ahac not
viii turn to the gall Of bitterness in the mouths Of
those who are asking for it,
When e:pcciaS ntsrestins in view Of the fact
friend tho Governor alone stands IN the II "A
perfect measure. 'lr Linson then advanced the en-
gazing proposition that II tho duty OF the Legs
laturc when the Governor objected TO any measure
not involving matters Of principle. To Weld - his
august demands. and send him that he would not
be tempted 10 veto.
Mr. veddcr terscly summed mp the situation hy de-
clarins that all that good in the bill Re-
publican. and all that bad Democratic
Iii on its final passage The absentee. uc-c Nr
Dcanc. Mr.. Ivcs and Mr.. eheard who Is stu danger
ouslv sick at his home at Little Falls.
Horace T.. Dcmng, Of the Ballot Reform League.
and Professor Collin, who writes bills and vctOcs for
the Governor, the floor Of the Senate during
the discussion