New-York tribune., 1891-05-01
THE LEGISLATURE OF 1891.

The Legislature which adjourned sine die
Yesterday by no mean, met the best expecta-
tion Of the people. Seeing that one branch OF
II was Republican and the other Democratic,
they could hardly have counted upon its per-
forming much important work But certainly
they were not prepared to see the last two
weeks, which ordinarily are more 1ruitIul III
legislation OF general value than any other'Iort-
night of the session, rendered barren ana worse
than barren by deadlock. For this deploraDle
result involving the defeat OF so many measures
which ought to have been passed this year, the
Democrats of the Senate, aided and abctted by
q Democratic Governor and a Democratic Lieu
tenant-Goyernor. are solely responsible. 1t is
doubtful if the history of legislative bodies under
the republican system contains the record OF
grosser outrage by the minority upon the ma
iorty than that which these Senators perpetrat-
ed with the connivance OF the presiding officer
Our readers are familiar with all its details, so
that it is useless again to direct attention 70
them.
The number of bills that have got through
which could as we'll as not have gone over
until another session can be enumerated with
ont taking many minutes. The chief OF these
opens the way for rapid transit for this metropo-
lis, and its importance can hardly be over
estimated Another makes ample provision
for pushing the Capitol Building toward COM
pleTl0n A third rounds out notable reform
by supplementing the legislation of last winter
so as to provide for the removal OF 1000 insane
persons from the poorhouses to the state asy-
lums. These and perhaps half dozen other
bills represent tho outcome OF the session IN
which the people as whole are concerned and
of which they approve. Not 1ew
bad bills, vertable jobs, were intro
duced, but few if any have succeeded, thanks
to the fidelity of the Republican Senate to the
common veal. The worst of the lot was the
infamous Rum bill which was passed by the
Democratic Assembly 1t ought to blast the
political future of the lawmakers who voted for
it and of the party which is responsible for
them. During the next few days the counties
interested in the bills which were killed by the
deadlock will be heard from. They Will be
filed with righteous indignation at the great
wrong which was done them by Hill, Jones and
| the Democratic Senators in order to protect
corrupt canal ring.
1t is gratifying to reflect that the ta1-rate for
the wear is all uncommonly low one-the lowest
for forty-sx years, it is said-and that for this
boon the taxpayers are indebted to their Repub-
lican public servants As Senator Sloan and
General Hustled pointed out, the decrease of the
rate is due in large part to tho revenues derived
from special sources under laws framed and
passed by Republicans. The corporation tax,
the succession tax the collateral inheritance tax,
the tax on organizing corporations are all Re-
publican measures The people will congrat-
ulate themselves on the adjournment of the
Legislature Of 1891. And, profting by the les
son which it has taught them, it would be anaz-
ing indeed if they do not elect a Republican
Senate and Assembly in the fall by large ma
iOrtieS