New-York tribune., 1890-05-05
The Rnpid-Trnnsit Bill.
The High. License hill.
The Aqucduct Claim sSiii.
Tho CnpifDl Punishment Hill.

The Republican majority will make gl1eN0us
mistake if it fails to pass the first two OF these
and 70 defeat tie last two. At present the
Senate and Assembly are at deadlock over rapid
transit But since there is but single point of
difference between them, and every legislator is
ncrfectlv well aware that if the bill fails very
great wrong will have been done to the chief
city of the State, it is reasonable to expect that
an agreement will be reached. THE TRIBUNE
has already expressed the opinion that the COM
promise which was proifered by the Republican
Senators of the original conference committee
ought to he adopted. 1t was conceived Ill Il
spirit of perfect fairnesS-neithcr the senate
nor the Assembly can complain that 1t favoIS
either of the commission schemes at the expense
Of the other-and it would give New-lo
body of rapid-transit commissioners composed
of meh fitted by character, intelligence ana eA-
perience for the faithful and satisfactory as
charge of the duties which would be imposed
upon them. In the circumstances there Is llou
the shadow of an excuse for a deadlock.
The Hendricks lligh-Lcense bill Is the only
high license bill of the year. Therefore II 1t
fails high license fails. 1t has the hearty APP
proval of all the influential temperance organi-
oppose it concede that it is moderate BILL that
none of the rates which it provides for are OK
cessivc. II passed the Senate several weeks
ago but the saloons under the leadership OF
Whiskcy's Governor have since been making
desperate efforts to prevent it getting through
the Assembly. If there is any measure when
has come before the Legislature OF 1890 winch
ought to receive the solid Republican vote IT Is
this one. The public reform sentiment OF the
State is behind il the Republican party-whch
is high license party just as surely as 1t Is "A
ballot reform pariy-is behind II. Kun lobby
with plenty of runs money Will bcSiege the As
sembly this week hoping to kill the bill on ITS
third reading. Democracy is the slave OF the
saloons. so Of course Democratic AsSemblymen
will vote against il. But no Rcpubhcan can
OppoSe it without a base and lncNcuSahlc be-
trayal OF the party whose commission he bears
The Aoueduct Claims bill ought to have
d" died a-borning" \ more barefaced job was
never concoctcd. It's demands on the public
,reas,ny-calling in the aggregate for millions
of dolalS-hayc scarcely more ethical Signiii-
cance than the demands Of highway robbers and
road agents. It's atrocouS character has been
so thoroughly exposed that IT Is hardly prob
able that the ring which is behind II Will make
| another attempt 10 pass il. But the conspiracy
NAV be renewed 30 Jet the friends OF pure and
wholesome legislation be on their guard against
| il down to the hour Of adjOuinmcnt AS Tor
the bill providing for the abolition OF capital
punishmcnt, while there may be an honest dill
| ference in regard 10 it's merit, there can hardly
lie one among conservative people rs to the i'm
propIiety of passing it at this session. There
has been little or no public discussion OF the
grave questions involved in so radical change
| in the punitive policy OF the state. II would
! lie the height of unwisdOm, therefore, for the
| Legislature to make the change without taking
the sense of the people, without being sure be-
yond a peradvcnturc that there is an over
wholming public sentiment against capital pun
ishmcnt.
The majority at Albany has made an adj
mirable affirmative record this year. LcSiS-
lature which has made ballot-rcform an ac-
complshcd fact, which has taken the insane
paupers out of the wretched county pOorhouScS
| ard placed them under state core. and which
has been rigidy economical III IFS appropria-
| tons is bound to pass into history with long
white mark TO its crcdit-prOyidcd. Provided.
that in the few days remaining Of its liIc 1t
avoids the grave blunders which our political
opponents ycarn to see it commit. Republlcan
Senators and AsSemblymen, stand firm and do
your best this week: Give us rapid transit and
high license, bafe the Aqueduct harpies, and let
the capital punishment bill 90 over until an
other year. BY so doing you will promote the
public welfare, strengthen yourselves with
YOUR constituents, and organize victory for the
Republicans in the fall campaign upon the re-
suit Of which so much depends