New-York tribune., 1891-04-29

Albany April 90 (SpccaD.-Tllere never was q uiOro
pitlful exhibition OF slavish subserviency to man
who holds In dis hands little temporary power uan
WAS shown by the Democratic members OF the Asse'n'
by this Afternoon. Most Of the members felt Reehy
the position which they occupied, ana would h'Ne
been glad to escape at any cost but Close oSil "
the House. which was ordered without notice ana
,yitbost a vote, shut them in like rats in trap ana
thev were held there and compelled to vote as speaker
sheehan told them to. The history OF to-days WORE
nv the Democrats in the Assembly is the story Oh
gigantic farce. ,x
There was an unusual amount OF activity amons
the few Democratic leaders In the Assembly carry
this morning. speahec sheehan lcft the chsr' anu
,rlth a roll-tsn In his hand, hurried from mem
- IN member checking the names of ana
,uine the Democrts that he did not want them o
ave the chamber as important work was to De doie.
Later in the day Blumentha sent up what purPorVeu
be n report from the Committee on Rules mahins
hanges in the Assembly rles. The change theh pro
rosed and afterward adopted. is radical In the eA-
trcme: and such policy has not been followed since
tho days whecn Tweed ran the Legislature But
snenler who so boldly on the floor would uphold bne
mack Rock Harbor Job would support anything Oh
this sort no matter how disgracefu and mean Inc
modification of the rules provided that "ourine .no
tha remainder of this session all resouUiohs' "He'
.Lov Give rise TO debate or not, can be acteu upon
immediately. The Democratic Speaker was extremely
careful 10 make the change in1 the rules apply
orlv n this session. He is too coWarlS d
roIitcian TO permit such sweeping change IN tne
rules TO remain on the books for next year. "he po'
branches of the Legislature will be oil oiIerehV
notieal faith from that Of the majority OF te presehO
Assembly. o..
The intention of this resolution was plain 70 every
one who heard II, and it was not long before the
senator and Governor opened wide his hand ana
showed the cards that he intended to play General
Husted and Mr. Acker both moved to reject ohe
{" reportp of the Committee Rules IN the ainehu-
ment: but their motions Were OF course VoOeu uo'
few minutes Iull in the farce followed 10 alo"
the Senator and Governor to finish the drawing up VI
the resolutions which we're afterward ohered anu
passed. When the word came from the EXECUTIVE
chamber that the resolution had been completed NC
Clelland moved close call of the HOnse lhis meant
that every except members ana correspondents
would have to be put out, and TINS accOIulnsY was
done Then to the surprise OF many, McOleHahu selU
to the desk resolution which, before IL had lett MS
hand, sheehan had declared the previous question
ordered. This is 10 lhVesusd'o H'o o'n"i'' anu 10 10
follows:
Resolved That special committee OF seven members
of this be appointed by the Speaker ana hat suoh
committee be and it hereby authorized and directed 70
nyestgate the Of the canals during the past
eleven years embracing such investigation the necessity
and proprety Of the appropriations made by the
LEGISLATURE during that period on account OF the canals
and public works adjacent thereto including bridges
culverts and sewers
such committee arc authorized send for persons and
noners to sit anywhere In the State at such times as
they NAV appoint during the remainder Of the year, to
employ counsel experts and stenographer ana 70 report
the results OF their investigation, when concluded 10 inc
Assembly with the evidence taken and with their recon-
endatons concerning the same The Speaker is hereOy
authorized to f any vacancy occurring in sueh CON-
mittee from any cause. -
To pass such a resolution as this would be Ike
enactlng a law that prisoners charged with morse
stealing should be tried by jury OF morse thieVes'
and those charged with picking pockets should be
tried by Jury OF plckp0ckets. Charges nave Oeeh
made repeatedly that Speaker sheehan and his law
firm together with other Democrats high in once,
were making money out of the canals. This resoiu-
ton means that Democratic committee composer VI
a majority of Democratic members OF the Assembly
will investigate with whltewash brush, ana give
David b. Hill, Controller Wemple ana speaker 0heo-
han clear Democratic record
II Will be noticed that there is great dinerchce
betvecn this resolution and the Others which the
Senator and Governor sent to the Assembly. This
resolution has no preamble which states that certain
charges have been made against the managers VI uhe
canals Each OF the other resolutions Degme WiVh d
preamble making direct charges that III tue cases
cited fraud and corruption had existed Inc calidi
resolution In starting gives the Canal Ring good
character by making no charge against the members
Of f. II does not provide further, that there shall
he no meetings OF the committee during the
fall campaign, did the Dill WHICH mn
drew and sheehan forced through the House last
night despite the declaration Of the Democratic
Ioador that the Democrats did not want an nvesga-
lion of the canals OF course, H does not care when
a whitawashng committee Of his own namllls-for 1t
auouuts TO the same thing, since sheehan names 1t
* mt WORK lie would prefer mat IT. sessions be hed
d,,rnc the election campaign, because, undef MS
ra ssiIl he could compel inc cOnmltlee TO WWtcWash
tpvery Democrat who mad anything TO DO WIN Me
1Ths re were i'm ali six resolutions One Of them
called for an investigation OF tlc cOn;Y cefKs shcts
and treasurers another for an inVtsg III OF tie var
e @u CttieS of the state. y third resolution asked
Jus % an Investigation Of the Health Officer CT the PoT
40 New York Then investigation OF all the primary
oioo,I"nc and nominating conventions, Of members o.
tbe Assembly and the Senate on JUDGES anu scHoo
commlssio1eSi was Srppnnon called for the vestga
% .; the election of United states senators from TN
State in 1881 1885 and ioo'' Ihere %e 10 DC Se'e'
The payment OF sherifs By fees aud the collection
of the Collateral Inheritance tax Dy G " t5c
Gas % NewYork is charged with getting and holding
S fHit oce NJ fhroueh corrupt bargain" with those VIII
appointed him; and the committee Ol seen VINO ar ar
to investigate in this direction are hSlruetcd 70 nm
tion as to the method OF governing me cues OF th
state is made the excuse for tne NeI,gauGh h ot o
of members OF the Assembly, the senate, school com
mssioners ard judges and the holding OF primaE
onIv a few weeks ago defeated a bill which extende
the Corrupt Practices act in this direction. ~ WI WI
featherweights investigating the election OF Unite
/ General Hustled, Mr.. Acller, Mr.. Fish, Mr.. Aspinal
Mr.. DcyO and l. sam Johnson made speeches eN
planning their votes on the resolutions. NO other ol
uortunity was allowed them. as the decision that IN
previous question had been ordered was made eac
lime before the resolutions had reached the clerks desi
General usfed said that to conduct all the invcsgt
lions indicated in the resolutions was simply ridGI
drama had turned out TO be comedy OF errors. Nj
Deyo said that i was blowing hot on one side
the Capitol and blowing cold on the other slde " 10
have moved the previous question on these resolutions
he added, but the people of the state will move
on Won this full Mr.. Kennedy said that the reSolI
tions were for the most part the mcrest nonscns'
TO read them 10 appreciate them. Mr. Mas
wanted TO know If the water works steal OF DroOky
also would be investigated.
The resolutions carried by strict party vot'
eycep those providing for investigation Of the primar
elections and the canals The canal resolution II
ceved 6s votes on this resluti0n Mr. Fish said tina
II was not proper for the Speaker of the Assembly
name the members of the committee which Is TO I
vestigate tho canals. Under The circumstances
was not willing 10 intrust the speaker with the Al
poinment Of the committee to make this investgailo
....L nnli la