New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-28
SPEAKER SHEEHAN IN ERROR.
SHOWING HIS IGNORANCE OF An IMPORTANT
ASSEMBLY RULE.
FORCED TO REVERSE HIS DECISION THAT A ELL
NAY BIZ REPORTED WITHOUT PREVIOUS
RMA CONSIDERATION BY A MA
JORITY OF A C"OMMITTEE-NEW
BILLS II THE HOUSE.

oRMAL CONSIDERATION By A MA
JoRIrY og COMMITTEEMAN
BILLS IL I'll HOUSE.
ICY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNEl
Albany, Feb. 27.-For awhile today it looked rs
though the black horse cavalry ana bifhhlliier'
generally. for the remainder OF the present session Of
the legislature. would have the easiest sort Of time
In getting reports in the Assembly from the various
committees which have possession OF bills III "h!ch
they are Interested. The leaders OF this annex TO
The Legislature, which this winter Is niuch larger
'han usual. OWN; to the political complexion oil t1
Assembly, were jubLast. for they looked forward TO
a quick and easy return for their efforts" toward
aiding legislation. 1t was shown. further, tAlt
sptatcr Shecnan's tendencies arr all toward pleas
iHS the Democratic members Of the Assembly 10
g~fdlcsS % rule, o. precedent. 40 one would blaino
50 intense q partisan a, he IS II lie should hclp MS
political friend, as much a. possible when lie couiu
do IL and sLll keep within the lire OF regularity
AMI commouscnsc. bat when h makes rules and
precedent, which are dangerous In thu extreme, With
out consulting either fule, or established preccdeEt',
1t l. high time that the decent members of the rs
scn0ly should ask him 10 be more careful OF thelr
reputation, II not II his own.
ASs,mblyman John Kcrrigan, OF New York, who
had been hoaorod rs the speaker with the appoint"
mcnt As Chairman of the Committee on Claims, 't-
tempted to make a report from that committee this
morning, although the committee had not held a meet
ing at which a majority OF It's members were present.
The reports were on three little claims 70 winch
no one la, any objection. but the manner in which
The chairman OF the committee made the report
placed him and the Speaker, for a time to-day, in an
exceedingly unpleasant light. In place % walt
ing until he could get together n majority Of
The members Of his committee. the chairman went
around,today and persuaded a majority Of them to
agree to report on the three bills. As,cmblyman
Nhppl". who l. a member of the committee. objected
Ia tc report being read. as there had been no meet
is of the committee.
The speaker at tha; point decided that 1t was not
for him TO judge how a committee met. 1t was not
for him to SAY how the votes Il the members of the
committee had been obtained. In other words. Speaker
>hc"hans NATURAL impulse was to permit the Demo
,:atic majority If a committee TO get together in some
place where none ~ the member, Of the minority could
find them. and decide 10 report ~fivOrably or otherwise
any iii that tho might have before them. Follow
!nc ont the line u this decision. the speaker decided
that Kerr g1u's report would bc received.
General Hustled got the floor before this decision had
been made. and said that precedent and rule declared
that % committee must have a formal meeting before a
report could be made.
The speaker replied that he did not care for prccc.
dents. ard that he would decide TO receive the report.
Nr. SprL,cr. you have c~,tlbli,hed the worst prece-
dent That ha~ ever been c,tabl she'd In thi, House. cN'
cl.lmol The General.
TlA, dd not deter The speaker in the slightest, and no
accepted the report. Aftcr he had done this some
- tie members Of IN, Assembly began boxing through
their bluc books 10 see whether o? not the books con
tanned any rule governing the power Of a committee
To- make a report unles, thcN had been a meeting OF a
majority Of the committee. They found this rule;
Unless the time and place for thc meeting q a commst'He
have L,,n specifically sp,clrcd b." the body appointing u.
t,r-e matter. are lot e. the discretion u the committee.
which. without such instruction. nav meet At ~ a uIf ana
place A. 10 u, majority may s'cu mot "Nl"dI'nt and con.
.H. fsL MLr . p fL. tAI ITO MUST f - IIrUIA ~
?, unn. act any hrs'n,.,. tho % lrl.u, % TN" members can
not Doe taken De- uc Chairman separately, rom when ''ln'
ilrs he is TO make up Dob, report. Everything agreed upon
must have been submitted % the committee ana an oppof'
.r9ity given fr fic" discussion.
II WAS not long before some one on the Democratic
SIDE also found tI, rule. and hc lost no time IN ac'
qualntins The speaker with 10, provisions. Nr. siIcehah
th'n saw that In his anxiety To please n Democrat no
had exhibited extreme Ignorance Of the rules Of the As
.cmbly, with which hc. a, speaker. ought - be
familiar. Tie worl, oi General llu,tci, whoae ability
"a, a parliamcntarian IS conceded by all. had also
caused him to think a-liu, and he was glad of tho
excuse Of the rulc t, Withdraw his first decision. lie
did nj, q few minutes before the adjournment thl'
afternoon. and brought TO o sudden close the lubiiatlon
q the friend, OF ~ shady bills by rctrcatlnG from his
first position.
Speaker Shcchaa took to-dny the part Of master OF
ceremonies i'm m. drama of which Governor Hi Is tho
author. ard on which he has n Copyright, entitled "iio"
stole "a Republicans seat The other acts were
pia,sd .ouc limo ago. first, by the Governor ana his
Committee on irivilc scs and Elections and later on by
the Democratic member, Of the Assembly, WHO ap'
pcarci on tie scene IN the Governors livery. wearing
hs welllrown collar and nose rings. Then they voted
to Dust from ia. Assembly W. Barlow Dunlap. who
was allowed. fr appearing in hi, own defence. only tie
,cant time and courtesy Of the Assembly Chamber on
the DAY On which he WAS dismissed by Dcnocratic
votes. Today Tie speaker administered the oath Of
Office tn John +. Dwycr, the man who began the con
,. -.f.. ". nupIon apiply lpcuu.e thn Governor
promised 10 seat him II he would begin the contest in
time 10 get In hi, vote FOR u United states Senator In
case the Governor needed II.
The hin, introduced to-day in the Assembly wero
fewer in number than on any previous day IN TINS
session. Mr.. Kelly, Of Brooklyn, camc forward a.
the champion Of some insurance companies. In lo7o
a law was enacted making it II misdcmeanor for in
surancc compnnic, or their agents to make rebates on
lie Insurance Iolicic,, and compelling the state super
intcnicnt ~ Insurance to revoke the lcchH,H OF mos
that did make such rebates. The law was strehsthoIcq
lu,t year by the addition Of an amendment 10 te nrS'
section. compelling the superintendent oi InSI.a.'t U,
examine All complaints. and when II Is found that Il
company or an agent has been found guilty 81 inaRnS
the rebate. Tn" name Of such COMPANY or nEImt 10
be published once Il week for four week IN tur >tatp
paper a, being guilty of violating tins law. iurti!Ir,
law /, taken from him. Mr.. Kclly's amendments pu'
the law back where i; was I'm 1859.
General Hustled introduced a bill giving the statc
Board Of Arbitration and Mediation the same power as
is possessed by a court OF T S@r H. p n heaHrIna n in
attention Of wi, %itn - ,no ana Rdo paper at ANY q" ~
measure was sent in bv one of the New ! ork
member, putting the clerks and other employes %, ,me
Police DEPARTMENT on the same footing Wlln we pn
licemcn. EXCEPT n, To the benefits 10 be derived iohn
the police pension fund. ,ou-trc ,ho -
intnndenf Of thc Elmirn ~RcfOrmatory 10 construct a
railroad. not more than two miles long. from nnQ
rcf,rmatnry. 10 connect with other roadN wl,nAil tma'
distance. The bill appropriates S'31'ooo Tor tM' p"r
posi-. 81, Mr. NcClelland camo
cas- incornorating the supreme 'ounclt ,1uupd'
Mutual Benefit Association WIN " "F
600. to engage in insurance.