New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-26

The Legislature Of 1892 contained, among
many new lien and many bad ones perhaps
n dozen who deserve 10 rank among the best
and abost legislators of whose services the
State has been at any time enabled 10 avail
itself. IL will not be nvidious, or otherwise
than inst TO mention certain Of these men
who. under circumstances utterly trying ana
disconraging. have been constantly at their
post. clean. handed, clcar-hcadcd. stoutly OPP
posing every corrupt or mschicvouS measure
and earnestly advocating the causes OF public
morality and public utility. We do not recall
in the history Of this country such another
spectacle as has been uniformly presented by
the Democratic majority AT Albany throughout
the session lust ended. il is almost incredible
that a political party, even such a party as
would permit the domination OF man like
Hill. could elect from the various constituencies
of this State eighty -four men among whom
there was not at least one brave candid, IN
dependent and honorable character. But the
record of this session shows absolutely nothing
IN tho credit Of a single Democrat. IL there
is man among the majority who has ateany
time refused to prostitute himself To the ser
vice of the corrupt bosses he has kept it an
| nNIOdlc SttTct. w u'NhNi 'i'' 'N''. 'i'''
him was for franchise to enrich Murphy, or
| Job to supply campaign funds for Croker ana
| Mclaughlin, OF scheme to enable Iammany
| to steal elections, he has played the despicabe
part of a submissive tool Every man of them
deserves unqualified censurc and unlimited
contempt And by so much ~ he possesses the
instincts of an educated gentleman, his offence
| is increased and his disgrace dcepencd.
| Since the first day of the session there has
| been at all times in the Senate seventeen, ana
| in the House sixty seven, Democratic votes
ready to be pollcd for no matter what, at the
command of Shcehan and the Bushes. They, as
the agents Of Hill, Croker and Murphy, have
held "a mastery over the roll-calls as complete
as if the process Of taking vote were merely
n form by which their pleasure was declared
That, indeed, it has actually beer, whenever
they we're minded to have it so. In these cir
cumstances, arguments, facts. protests and ap
peals have been as frutless if addressed IL
craven images. And the worst Of it is thai
those who undertook the task Of opposition
arose with the full knowledge that they coulC
accomplish absolutely nothing, that they talkct
at the mercy of the bosses, and that, at ;
signal from the Chair, the "prcyious question
would fling them into their seats. Nothing cal
be more dscouraging to sincere man than t.
know that his labors, however able and well
directed, can by no possibility have the small
est effect All the more, on this account, doe
credit attach to the conduct which has es
pecially distinguished Messrs. Erwin, Saxtol
and OConnor in the Senate, and Deyo, Strana
han and Malby in the House. Mr.. Erwin
leadership has been full of courage, intelligenc
and tact. Upon several occasions, when tn
Ring was not personally interested, he sue
ceeded in defeating enormous jobs and il
saving hundreds of thousands of dollars to tn
taxpayers His industry throughout the session
was prodigious Few bills got upon the ordc
of passage without his knowing what was il
, them. and the little steals which fell victim
, to his stout opposition were to be counted b.
, the score. Except in one or two most unfortu
nate cases, the minority supported him TO
man. and effected results which were, undo
, all the circumstances. surprisingly great an
G useful. BY Mr.. Saxton and Mr.. OConnor tn