New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-28

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The DUTY or REPUBLICAN SENATORS.
This will be the decisive week at Albany.
The Legislature is to adjourn sine die on Thurs
day. number of important bills are pendlnG'
but unless the Democrats Of the Senate speedily
abandon their shameless fibusterng IN beha1
of a corrupt canal ring there will be no more
law-making this session. For more than week
the majority members OF the Senate nave been
irving 70 obtain a vote on the Laughlin rcsolu-
ton The minority, under the ayowed leader
shin of Governor Hill, have fought this resolu-
tion so fiercey as to convince every unprejudced
citizen that if the canals are investigated so
much rottenness will be exposed that the Demo-
cratic party is sure to suffer an overwhelming
defeat in the fall campaign. Ii the resolution
is finally to fail, the people will hold the
Democracy responsible for the obstruction, when
results not only in sheltering public plunderers,
but in defeating much-needed legislation. since
the DAYS when Tweed ran things at the Capital
no lawmakers have been engaged in promoting
any Job so thoroughly disreputable as the one
which these Democratic Senators have backed
during the past ten days. The opposition 10
the resolution has been absolutely indefensible
1t has meant nothing except determination 10
serve a political party at the expense OF the
DeOpe: to serve corrupt and inefficient Demo
cratic canal officials at the expense OF the tax
payers. =.
In the circumstances the one plain duty OF
the Republican Senators is to insist upon the
passage of the resolution. To accept any sort
Of a compromise would be a serious mistake
The fact that Hill procured the introduction on
Friday of bill providing for canal lnvesu-
eating commission proves concuSlyely that he
and his party friends in the Senate are badly
frightened. Well may they be frightened.
They have discovered that the public sentiment
Of the State is against them They have dis
covered that the leading Democratic journal OF
the leading canal county in the State is against
them They have discovered that they have
rendered their party an object of well-grounded
suspicion on the eve of a canvass OF the first
importance. They have discovered that they
have placed in the bands of the Republicans a
powerful campaign document The Commission
bill is a bunging attempt to turn the tide, and
in view of what went before is to be regarded
as dr0l a measure as ever was presented to a
deliberative body. it is impossible to take it
seriously, since IL proposes 10 allow inc Wv
emor-the head and front of the opposition TO
the investigation-to name an investigating
commission Regarded as joke, the bill is
first-rate; regarded as legislation, it is beneath
contempt. Let the Republican Senators, then,
firmly maintain their present position. Let
their ultimatum be a vote on the Laughlin reSo-
luton or no more legislation this session. 1t is
a position which will command the approval OF
all far-nnded men, Of all men who believe
that the will of the majority ought to prevail
The Senate contains nineteen Republicans to
thirteen Democrats yet it is Hills proposition
that the thirteen ought to be allowed to dictate
to the nineteen and that failing to be allowed
to do so they are justified in blocking the
wheels of legislation. Such proposition neceS-
sarily excites the indignation of voters, ire
spective of party lines, since it is blow at
popular government
The Republicans of New-YOrk from one end
of the State to the other are deeply interested
in this contest. They heartily approve Of the
position which their representatives in the Sen
ate have taken. They hope and believe that
they will stand firm in their battle for the in
vestigatiOn of the canal ring, in spite of all
the attempts of the Governor to bulldoze them
with vetoeS or bambOozle them with his Com