New-York tribune., 1890-04-01
VETO OF THE SAXTON BILL.
GOVERNOR HILL KILLS ANOTHER YEARS
WORK FOR BALLOT REFORM.
OLD OBJECTIONS REHAsHED-oNLY ONE Ne"
POINT TO URGE AGAINST THE MEAsONH-
ME-. FAssErr EXPLoDEs BOMB
IN THE DEMOCRATIC CAMP.
IN THE DEMOCRATIC CAMP.

ME-. FAssETT EXPLoDEs BOMB
IN THE DEMOCRATIC CAMP
-pY TELEGRAPH THE TEDUNE'
Albany March 3l.-Govcrnor Hill to-niEG
added ono more TO the list of grievances the peo-
nle bove AGAINST him by sending 10 Inc senate
bis expected veto of the SaNtOn ballo'-heloIm
hill The ten DAYS allowed him for consideration
of the measure do not expire until Wednesday
and the Senate Judiciary Committee, to which
his proposition for reference To ire 'oh' oi
Anpcals was referred. reached decision only az
late hour tonight The Governor must ulcic-
fore have resolved on a veto several days ago.
so that the hunbug of his request Tor Juolciai
opnion is more than ever palpaple'
There was a comparatively llght house whch 'hc
Governors private secretary appeared at the nar
ot tho Scnate with the formidable document ted
with blue ribbons in his hand, but It's reading
was followed with profound attention by those
who recognized il as one of the cievercst ana
most Characteristic. while one of the most hypo-
critical State papers ever read upon that floor
The Governors henchmcn themselves uttered
audiblv at the dcmagogic allusion to the impend-
ING danger of anarchy. and Mr.. Cantor himself
failed 10 keep a straight face when the fech-
snifian cXhortation not to outrage the southern
negroes by a reformed ballot was dcclaim'd III
measured tones by Clerk Kenyon Tie iarcic'i
argument as Ia the compulsory disclosure oil votes
excited more than one explosion o1 laush'er' ah,
81. so,pe is true of the absurd quibblc that the
iuiterate voters oath that lie is wholly uhane
10 read could not cOnscicntlously he taken ny
q German who could read his native language ou'
not English.
But most prcpostcrous of all was the cool as
.er,ion that no LAWYER of STANDING" would Affirm
tl,o l,in Nttp At 70
moment il was read Senators had before them
copies of a memorial signed by Wheeler H. feck-
ham. Julien +. Davies and Louis +. POST aS
committee of the New-Norll Ballot-Rcform League.
insisting on the emphatic unconStitutlonalrN OF
the decision asked for by the Governor himself
from the Court of Appeals Moreover. the re-
port of the Judiciary Committee. subsequently
agreed on. which virtually affirmed the cons'tn-
tionality of the measure. Is signed among others
by a jurist of such repnte a. Judge Robertson.
The message took half an hour to read II
was attentivcy listened TO by Senator SaNton,
and as soon as the clerk had finished he rose
md said
Mr.. rresdent: This very long document to which
We have listened Is The main merely a resume 81
the objections which have been already Nred by the
Governor There seems TO be bnt one new eDlec,.m' M
and that j. that certain provision l. unoon>ifn
tona lecause it requires the election Of ballot ccr''
one by majority party and the other 10y minority
larty.
Here Mr. Cantor the Democratic leader. broke
in with the objection that there was no quc>-
ton before the House.
Il suppose the question:" said Mr. SaNton,
sharply is whether this bill shall become a law.
notwithstanding the Governors message
Il so understand it, said the Lieutenant-Gov-
ernor
Nfr -Saxton continued follows:
There have been two veto received from tle
Cover upon similar Dills aneads, not o' "'.sn
contained precise propOsition ana ''h' j. Inc
either the Legislature, IN tne public pre-, or 20
far l hAow, among the laM!cfs OF iAc Jnuse' 60 u
the state. The propOstoi II IL oe d Or oaIu', ,3' '
strikes AT the PRINCIPE OF minority
1t Is p:aepg @ Tg" & ns' n OF the formation OF
this Government. AT all events, the courts "i 'io
If tnat be true according Governor Ill., tnere aro
many officers in every town and county VINO are hoIu
silng laws provide, Tor instance. Tor the election
Of two Justices of sessions, one vi VINO" sHal' W.
express purpose OF securing minority representations
There has been law ior more tan tie. pntr,r.'
ing no shall vote for more than Two Oi inc thee
inspectors of election. That Is also for tic eApS,s
purpose Of securing minority representation. IN.
oi a aI - he vted ior Iy one party and two
State Boar, Of Aldermen was elected in tiai way
in New-lOrk. II j. an established PrncPic ana IL j.
now too late to call it in question. ,..., :,
MIR. Cantor-The very fact Of the doubtful eoi,u-
tutionality Of that Aldcrmanic election caused 'c re-
peal OF the system in Hcw York.
Mr. saxton-Tllat may be- but never have heard
people have pIacilscd nom the time Of the adoption
Of The Constitution 1t seems 10 me me ta & INA, , , Fs
is no judicial decision On & the sn9gc1 & 70 Ns'o vi.
because 1t follows oul 'ne Wen & 1y'lru % i,c i'.' w
state Willy Nr. President, message q the Governor
bill which provided the election Of iour COM.
mis=ioncrs two of them 70 DO voted for 10y one
tnat the constitutional question had been raised;
and that he regarded a. .d ",NA MA,
the principle had been incorporated and embedded IN
the Laws of the state. and nobody had even Pue''
Mr. CantoI-What is your own opinion Of that prin
Mr saxton--I will give my opinion when have
examined the subject more closely. d"n.t want u,
nr"nnnnce a snap Judgment. Well desire I, call
vour attention 70 the commission known the Iden
Commission which wa. created % establish uniform
system Of municipal government in this state. Ihai
lawyer as Mr.. Evarts, who VA, uPon y. sursest"h
that the Gny way G the S IS9Sf Gosen tie '" vas
On Mr.. Saxton's motion the BILL with the
companyins message, was laid on the table. Tie
motion was also tabled 50 that the matter may
be taken up dt any tluc
Immediately after this action had been taken
the senate proceeded 10 receive new bills. MI
Fassctt Immediately produced cOnsteinatlon IN
the Democratic camp Dy oNcrirS biIl loi tIt
admission to electors Of the State, at the general
election in November, the proposition lhat al:
ballots voted at public elections snail DC printed
al the public exp -nsc and be distributed TO thc
electors by sworn public O'hclals only a, 'h"
polnrg-placc on the day OF election lnc biii ie-
ouires that the votes on the proposition sh1l DE
counted and canvasscd by the Inspectors IN thc
same manner as the ballots on the election for
Governor, and that certified copies Of the result
shall he canvassd by the Board Of state Can
vasscIs and filed with the Secretary OF state
Following is an abstract Of Governor lllls veto
message:
1, is nv clear conviction that II this bill should take It's
place among statutes Of the State II would be- Nod at
best, and would the whole electoral machinery OF
the State into confusion. would be false to my onic"
duty knowingly consent % what believe would
bring such calames upon the State. Tho attitude Of
the Legislature has left other alternative than IA
decline approve the measure. Upon the Legislature
must the responsibility o failure TO secure fair and
honorable Of the problem Of electoral reform
NV objections feature Of this measure are well