New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-30
THE BALLOT REFORM BILLS.
A FAVORABLE REPORT ON THE SAXToN
BILL ORDERED.
PROCEEDINGS IN THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON
GENERAL. LAWS RURAL REGISTRATION
AND THE LEGAL RATE OF INTEREST.

GENERAL LAWS RURAL REGISTRATION
AND THE LEGAL RATE OF INTEREST.
WY TELEGRAPH TO THE ThBUNE.1
Albany, Jan. 29-The Senate Committee on General
Laws gave a final hearing to-day upon Senator Sa1tons
Ballot Reform bill. At Senator saxtons suggestion
the bill was amended to provide that instead OF
going into effect Immediately it Shall go into effect on
september 80 of the present year. Senator Cantor
moved that Governor HIPS sham Ballot Reform DILL
usually known as the Lnson BILL should be substituted
for the saxton BILL The committee voted as follows on
the notion
Yeas-Brown, Cantor 2. Nays-Erwin' Veddef'
CoggeshaI Van Gorder, Chase, D.
II will be observed that Senator Chase, of Albany,
Democrat. voted with the Republicans against inc
Llnson BILL Il do so," he said to the committee
because am opposed to the unofficial ballot granted
by the BILL
Senator Cantor said he in favor Of the general
provisions of the saxton bill. Butt he said, Il
am opposed and unaterably opposed, to the ex-
elusive official ballot'
Senator Chase then moved that his Registration
Act should be made part of the Saxton bill. This
motion was defeated by vote of to 8, the ke
publlcans opposing the motion and the democrats
favoring il. Senator Chase then said: 81 regret 10
say gentlemen, that 1 cannot support the saxt"h
bill unless it shall contain provision tor resS'ra
tom
Il.
mort OF the Saxton BILL but pointed out features OF
the Linson bill which he considered good ones.
The committee then, by a party vote OF 10 -
the Republicans voting in the affirmative and tt9
Democrats in the negative voted to report the Saxton
bill favorably. Senators Cantor and Chase were
given until Friday morning to submit minority
report Senator Erwin stated in conclusion that the
saxton bill would be formally considered next Wednes'
day.
Senator Chase then asked the committee to como
to some decision upon the bill for the registration
of country voters whenever twenty-five electors shall
submit petition to that effect to the Supreme Court
Of their district.
81 could not vote for the registration of the country
voter nor any other rural Senator and expect to get
hack hereo said Senator Erwin and let me say, that
we had such a law once, and it put such a useless
burden upon the people that they repealed It, Stll
should vote for bill requiring registration OF voters
In the towns Democrats and Republicans in tho
country districts are all opposed to registration
at is needless" said Senator Brown (Dem.), OF
New-York.
Senator Chase looked surprised. at Is no more
needless for the farmer than it is for the city drum
mer," said he.
Senator Brown placidly replied: ~ have lived IN
| the country and you have not; and besides nave
had experience with registration in the country ana
you have not. 1t is my experience that such an ac'
is of no use applied country districts. Why every
farmer knows every other farmer. Illegal Young ana
repeating, therefore, is impossible
THAT is So" said Senators Vedder, Coggeshall and
Van GOrder in chorus. Only Senators Cantor and
Chase, therefore, voted to report Chases Rura
Registration bill favoraby, Senator Brown voting viii
the Republicans against the bill
The committee then resolved to report favorabY
Senator saxton's bill to punish bribery at the polls
Senator CantOrs bill to provide for an enumeration
! OF the inhabitants Of the state rejected by the
committee, the Republicans voting in the negative
and the Democrats In the Affirmative. M
| Now said senator Erwin :" want the committed
10 report favorably my bill reducing the legal rate OF
interest from per cent to per cent. The farmers
of the State feeling poor and are In financial DIS
| tress Many OF them in danger OF having mort
cages upon their farms fOrecOSed- since introduced
his bill have received hundreds Of letters from farm
/ ers In it's favor" 800
II will vote to report your bill favorably,n said
Senator Van Gorder, courteOusly, to Senator Erwin
| hut would like to say TO you that am opposed tc
IT, because think 1t would drive capital out OF the
| State" r..
| IL didn't in 1880. when reduced the rate from
| 7 per cent TO 8 per cent said Senator Erwin.
think II did that it drove nearly all OF IL out o.
| the stateS said Senator Van GOrder.
| Well the banks should be heard upon the BILL
am Opposed to the bill" said Senator Cantor.
IL was finally resolved to give hearing upon thu
hill 10 bankers and Others next Tuesday afternoon.
senator Coggcsha, chairman Of the Senate Railway
Committee announced that there would be q hearnl
before that committee on the New-iork Rapid Transi
bills on February 8.