New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-05-27
THE NEXT LEGISLATURE.


If November when the Legislature OF IoSZ-
q new Senate and new AssenlpV-"hi 10
chosen. But the canvass for nominations mas
already begun in some OF the distrlcOS, anu ~
;s not too early therefore, for few preliminary
remarks of a general nature. Ii Is sale 10 as
cume that unless some big plumbers are maue
IN the nominating conventions or IN the CAM
,,o;or that comes after them the coming Legs
io+nro will have a good working Repubhcah
majority in both its branches. During the lasV
orortor If a century the Democrats have con
troIled the Senate only two terms-lo'o, -
and 1SS2-'S3 During the same periou un''
have controlled the Assembly only seven 5edis'
These figures, interpreted III the HehO VI 'lo
nuhIic records of the two parties, prove 'l"O
the voters have a strong impression Vliav O'o
democracy shows to best advantage al AiOaly
when il is in the minority, when 1t IS reHeveu
of tho responsibility of shaping legislation Inc
ponphIicans rarely lose the Legislature save as
tha result of their own folly-weak Candidates
or = baIf-hearted campaign or barren session.
1t is desirable for many cogent reaSoils
that our party friends should carry DOM inc
Senate and Assembly this fall. The history OF
the last session shows, what has been SHOWN
before. that Legislature divided against IT.
self. one branch Republican and the other Deiil-
ocratic. is of comparatively little use to the
n,hlic II we succeed in electing Republican
eoislature and place a Republican in the TX
ocu,ive Chair then a number OF notable reforms
will be secured which otherwise are doonieu 10
failure. Excise reform, ballot REFORM cahal re-
form will not become accomplished 1actS uh'i
there is a Republican Assembly and senate 10
mass the necessary measures and RepuDilcah
1,overnor 10 approve what they enact. Inc
sort of nominations which the Republicans are
n make for the Legislature is yet to be de
+ormined. 1t is understood, however, that
several of the strongest and most experienced
of the Republican Senators will doclne 10 run
again. On this list of Withdrawing oeha.oiS
are the names of Robertson, tassett, HehurichS
and Sloan 1t is to be hoped that the report
will prove wholly, or at all events paruJ' uii-
founded The absence OF all these men from
the next Senate would be unfortunate 1or the
people, without regard to patty, as well as lor
the cause of Republicanism. If we are TO make
q winning fight for the State Offices ana 1Of the
legislature. obviously we must begin by piaclhe
our best and most popular men IN the heiu'
The custom which prevails in some OF the us
tricts of recognizing what may be called the
oeocranhical claims of counties or sections OF
COMMITTEES has frequently been condemned in these
columns It is high time it was abandoned TO
the end that the men who all things conSld-
cred, are best equipped by character, capacity
and aptitude for legislative life may be sent 70
the Senate or Assembly, no matter from WhaO
part of district they happen to hail.
Il will not do to shut our eyes to the lact
that having captured the Assembly last year.
Hill and his energetic lieutenants, sfrewd poll
ticians all. are continually Boosting these days
that the Democracy is going to keep what 1t has
| this fall and gain the Senate They Will leave
no stone unturned. They will ,diSburse big
corruption fund wrung from the saloons and
the canal ring. They will have an immense
amount of patronage at their disposal. 1t is
not the part of wisdom for the Republicans to
ignore these considerations, for they teach that
if they purpose to control the next Legislature
they must get ready for hard, unremitting
fight. And their first duty is to look to the
nominating conventions. The success Of the
Democratic plan of capturing the Legislature is
conditioned largely upon the expectation that
Republicans here and there will play into the
hands of their opponents by neglecting, because
Of some "caim," to place their worthiest can
ddates in the field.