New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-10
HILL AND ELECTION LAWS.
COME SAGE ADVICE TO THE LEGISLATURE.
n,ryrp DARING SUGGESTIONS FOR HIM TO
GIVE, CIRCUMSTANCES coNsIDERED' FOR
rxrrxp1NG THE CORRUPT PRAo-
r1CEs ACT-HIs MESSAGE
MEASURES IN THE
rpy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.

SENATE.
rRY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRiBUSEl
Albany. March Ex-Governor anu oe"avD ..,aoraout
night attempted to give himself d IT, ~ =, -
in view of the passage by the LeTls'a'''' -,
saxton,s amendment TO the Consttuh"h 'i"'-
from the Legislature to the courts 'le
o,+estcd election cases. The Governor suggests !"
o.eare 70 +bo LEGISLATURE that political committees
- oorirod N state the details OF their eApehu'"ies
for nolitical purposes at elections Is not 'is "s
advice TO the Legislature in view OF ''le o's
fnnd already collected by the re'ai' az" - ~.
,icuor dealers for the Democratic sta'e oo'l' io'
NJ .,o fou s,ections7 The Governors message Is
given below: .,, tho r.cisl,ture
,. i,h cornlnte unannity in the Assembly ana WIN
hut eight dissenting votes in the Seha''' " ' 80 ~
,,omonted the electoral reform legislation vi ' ' =.
taking the initial step toward Supl"'N's .,oina -
=, IN. pooule constitutional amendment tr"''1is
Va ,ho determination Of contested legislative ecc-
lions. l., ,,h,ch, 7 called
In INV snocial message year ago. In WINCH caii'u
..,,o, N abuses that had followed the rNer'ise OF "'
privilege 30 long enjoyed by legislative oouIe " " ',o
;dco a, the elections returns and quahcauohs vi uI
oyn mcnbcrs and in which believe was contain Wv
g., oclcal recommendation Of the TRANSFER OF 9"'" 'u''
Action n the courts expressed the hope thaC our own
c,o,e might be the first to bring ahout 'h'7 "n''
- ,ltboueh not acted upon a. that time however
,ho suggestion has rcceifed tho warm l"uo ,
., the LEGISLATURE. and the people whom We i'p
oud
mont Of this muchneeded, and now quite E'heIS'H ny.
d Constitutional reform their State has been the
conspicuous lcauef ,,..,o, y, This nrofosed
rutnrly. however. "a the submission VI VIZ 49,,
Constitutional amendment will, II appoN"' ''pp
49, octn,al legislation Of last year there are certain m
III a.,cuIa-s IN which electoral system sun
port'"' IN. additional safeguard sug
os,ed N your attention in q sp"'ai m"ss'-o WI +'P'
., last urging an extension Of tH 'o'caeu 'o''"p
,,ces act whereby political committees ana a''he ''
~ oou'r.d 70 file st,'emcnts q their oNp"natureS III
the sane way that candidates are no" '"np'@-
than That suggestion remains unacvd upon
Ano,her safeguard to pure elections when n"'' r
81 =, ,.,rous times In NY annual messages ana 20
which now wish TO give the emphasis Of SLe'''
message Il a stn further extension 81 u"o o"r'"p.
,,cos act 10 authorize the bringing 81 quo "''""V' p'
coTocs bv any candidate for thu orstnc "i the su'
aida,o - q. con hn proved against the lI't''
hot either he or his political agents or commit
toe. have rc-or'od fraud or corruption 20 Se' W.
election and the giving Of the once 10 inc u.''A" ~
f,o r,oydcd I. appears that neither he nor Ms con"
-. ba,o scd cor,uut means promote Ms 'l''uoh
such a provision was contained n the socail'd iso"
bill two years and sluonSh the L's''''uI .
neglected 70 encraft e upon the -Atu''N' u''r " -
bo,n 50 far as am aware any serious Opposition - W.
.,tr,o Witch f. c,nbod!es I have said frequently
h,ior, In my Official communications, t' fna''"'"' "
this or an s-,nt!ally s'Hlar proviS"h "oniu
,aocn,ions ard nut premium upon honest cand'dacy
Tho pro,cnt law 10 imposes severe peha'S "
,r,ud and dsfranch period OF hVe years persons
convicted 81 bribery. and THIS to certain oN'c'' "
courarcs corruption. but jur"- VIII ma Ve'a.t III -
civil action (such Is pr1p's'dl, ue cH''I VI VIM
Gust nan from his oaice FOR fraud or 60 fuP" "''o
se,dnc him IN prison where they would not convict MIN
q a crime upon tie evidence. The Accomplishment
therefore. Of any practical good from laNe'
q criminal offences and the imposition OF 'o'ei'
lena tes requires such encouragement to pF'''''"'
would be afforded by extension q the law ""i'h
have urged This feature u IN English Corrupt 'r H''
at T. regarded having been conSIIcnoH-F potent J"
tho purlA atom Of elections IN 'irfat Hniah Nv recon
LEGISLATION We have reduced minimum tn" opl"
FOR men TO votes and We have stamped t' "a"
ds,pproya upon the improper expenditure OF money ~
cand dates f,r Office Shall we hot 90 sun utN'f anu
compeI the forfeiture OF an Office when the Incumbent OF
his political agents be proved to have eAloy"l 'N'
means to secure his election rresp't'e OF The size o
h.s majority -, ,
present than that proof Of bribery should Work inc Joy
tcture q Office The Constitution Of the state eHcIude'
brinors from the privilege 81 franchise Sinai! our l"'
adm, tbnp 70 tho right 20 hold oncel Tbs j. tho defect
and shame Of our present that while 1t may be io'd
,, many ~ the votes received by src'cS'ul candidate
,,d been IlrD hasod thu Is not VOID unless i'
number Of pur hased equals or exceeds the camel
d,,a,. puraluy over his coupettors ihe Wo"'c
amendment would but out more closely the pr
Of the Constitution That any ''i''"
on the part Of candha't or ms H',
>, .ocuro An election should dsqualify him from t''
,, ~ hold Office whether not he has been con'lc'i
q the orcrce in criminal court IL" poor candid't"
would thea be perfect equality win th' f'h' anu
The honest candidate would have h7 fphu "u'aE' "''
hi, dishonest competitor
y,thnt discussing what should constitute the details
n ,I, prop,.rd m,a,uc submit these suggestions u
your considerations trusting they nay i'ceiv" Your az
proynl and bo,om. nrs " Jour election Laws Ihder Eng
l,h law when fraud corruption is proved tn" election
haeoc- void and wit 4 election !. Issued ana -"
the piocc.s NAV 20 on dshonest practice In an
election proved. Whether that l. ad'I'ah'' III IN,
couptrv or whether the law should provide In case 90
uroo ~ fraud or corruption that Judgment should b
81 f.tf,r ~ tho
highest number o. votes. and on submit TO Your III
tciscnt dclibcration. DAVID j. HILL"
senator SaXtOn tonight introduced a biil proNHHR
for a blanket ballot and the abolition "i the tissue "'!
lot which has proved such source OF bItbcr, at tn
polls. 1t is well known, of course, that Governor
Hill for some political purpose Of his own, has eN
pre- ed the opinion that the blanket ballot
!, uncons titutlond But that i not senator >ahton
opinion. and he believe, the courts would sustain III
senator lv"S introduc.d III - widen ono hundred
and enIhst to 10 feet and make 1t parkway for per
side and To Riverside parks. The street l. then 10 b1
known a. Cathedral Parkway ~ 1t VIII pass In
front Of the new Episcopal Cathedral ,.... s,...
art Of New York. II pTOvid. for commission 10
select sites for parks In the Twelfth Ward The mem
bcrs Of th, commission are To- be Charles T. DAILY
| Frederic r. Coudcrt. George W Qulntard John H..
| watson John Clanln Charles Strauss and Robert \.
A rather extraordinary bill introduced by sen
ator Collins II provides for board % medical ~
amlncrs Of fourteen members 10 be appointed by the
| the following colleges and universc,: Cornell Co
umba. Union. the Iniycrsy Of The ON! Of New York
The senate debated for a short time tonight the
amending Of the rules IN respect ~ the apP0ntmcnt ~
presiding officer Wien the Lieutenant ' GmnI j.
frame a rule the subject IN company with senator
Jacobs was absent further debate on II was postponed
| until tomorrow nothing being done