New-York tribune., 1892-01-06
state OF New York.
Executive Chamber.
January B, 1892.


Executive Chamber
January s. 1892.
To The legislature:
A of dnidence must always animate The official
communications Of the Executive 10 the law making
tody. His Office IS indeed ordinate branch OF the
Government and Is invested by the Constitution
with powers equal superior In scope to those Of the
Legislature, yet bis recommendations and suggestions
however closely they be made to reflect he sen-
ments and wishes Of majority OF ihe people, are but
the utterances OF single officer addressed 10 vastly
greater number OF the peoples representatives.
Doubdy sensitive must the Executive be, therefore.
when for the first time in his official capacity. ana
almost the first OF his official acts, he complies with
the constitutional obligation TO mmunicate 70 the
Legislature the condition OF the state and recommend
such matters To them as he shall judge cVpedient'
II is a reason for great satisfaction and encourage
ment however that In my discharge y this first i'm
pOrtant duty atae to address my suggestions TO
Legislature In political accord with the Executive
For the first time eight wears both branches .! Inc
Legislature and the Executive represent the same p0
htcol idea and majority of the popular vote THIS
fact gives that desired legislation long de
layed by reason OF copAct between Legislature ana
Executive, may be speedily and wisely enacted, ana
that Executive and egslatuIe may work In harmony
for tue best interests of the people.
congratulate you ALSO that the year which
opens cOincidentally with the convening OF your
honorable body finds the state in prosperous condl
ruling Providence las beep even more bomtiful thah
usual IN His dspen alton OF blessings during the year
iust ended The products OF agriculture nave
been large, and Industry and commerce nave oee"
active and have yielded good returns. Inc ou'e -
practically out OF debt, State taxes are low' anu u"
Government has been honestly and well adhiihlS'er'u
Let It be our Joint endeavor to maintain these conn
tions OF prosperity, far rs may be IN our po"cfV
legslae wisely and mpsrtally, and to give the pe'
pe those measures of relief which they properly ue
sire and to which they are Justly entitled.
rNrMERAT1oN AND APPoRTIONMENT.
The paramount duty before the Legislature is to
rrov,de for an enumeration Of the inhabitants OF the
state preparatory TO a reapporonment OF senate ana
Assembly districts.
n there was needed heretofore any direct PROOF o'
the Injustice OF the present legislative appof'onhe
il ia now furnished by the returns OF the fedeai o"
sns Of 1890. Defective that enumeration "aS'
es pecially In the City OF NewloIk 1t shows On IN
crease OF populaon In the State since 1870 OF hearN
! 800 900 i-habitants. or % per cent Yet 'I'e
same apportopment row exists for i've o,''''o'r
inhabitants OF the state was established IN Io'o
for the 4G9s95S persons enumerated ID 'ne 'V"'" "a
1873 II the apportlonment based upon tlmt 'ei''S
was a fair one II is certainly very ahnquated hho
unfair ratio Of representation now "Hen dPPi'ou " '
present population.
There have been great changes OF population In tne
gtatA since 1875. In a third OF The counties Ihefe
has been an actual decrease in the number OF iuhsm
ixnts. This is true Of several counties whch are
now allotted more than one member OF Asselho'
each namely Oswego st. Lawrence. Ulster, WASH
an gton and Wayne In other counties, and especiaS
IN those which contain the largest cities of the state
She increase In population Is very nouceane. IN
Eric County It Is 90 per cent. IN Kings II Is "a IL
nor cent in Queens il Is 32 per cent IN New, orh'
45 per cent In Westchester. Al per cent ana III
Monroe 40 per cent when 1t Is considered that the
In SfHte Is Q7 cent tneSc Tg-
rres show that there has radical readlustneni
AZ populaton since 1875. and That the apporuohHe'
garment which may have been very goo" III '"en 10
now very much of mlsft
The denial Of proper representation is u ">o'"ni''
+ion against these growing sections of the state IL
.ends tn dwarf their prosperity and TO shackle the
liberties by MARROW and tliberal ensauoh IL eivo'
updue legislative influence to communities wheie prog
rcss ssoms stayed and population is dimplsbmg' IL
retards municipal reform and encourages meooieSohe
,ntericreuce with tile affairs Of our large cte'' IL
perunits taxation without representation 1t has au
tborzed a minority OF the people TO MAKE laws no'
desired BIZ the popular maIo and 1t has conthuaiy
rui6ed the expression Of public sentiment pronouhceu
ernphatcally at the polls r each election OF su'e o
GERS popular majority OF nearly oo'ooo 'his wear
is barely able TO control the Legislature by reason Oh
the inequitabe apportonment.
In KINGS County $4,000 people on the average are
represepted by one member of Assembly, while In Jei
serson County the same number OF persons are cpre
sented by two members. In NewSork 10o,oo peo
pe elect three representatives to the Assembly, "He
in st. Lawrence County $4,000 people nave the Ntlfc
voice In legislative action. The 4o,OoO people III
Washington County have two Members OF AsSehon
while the 32o 900 In Erie County have but hve Ql'
is, the ratio in Washington County IS to 10000 "hs
IN Erie IL is l TO $4,000. Cataraugus County, WIN
60 600 inhabitants has two members OF Assembly,!
which Monroe County with three times a. many lhhaO
itants has only one additional Assenblyinah III "aS
estimated last year by the special committee on emu
meration and apportionment appointed by the Assem-
hly that IL the l2s members OF Assembly were appOr
toned among the counties on the basis OF the recent
peoeral enumeration Erie County would have seven
members instead Of five, Monroe would have four III
stead OF three Kings would have eighteen instead OF
twelve and New York would have thrtyth instead
OF twenty four. II these figures be accurate the in
Justice Of deprving these counties OF their ght rep
representation cannot he disputed
The mere statement of this evil would seem to be
suftcient for its immediate correction. SO far an |
an aware. the present apportlonment Is nowhere oe-
Tended from the charge OF unfairness The only de-
fence which has been offered for the failure 10 laie
the preliminary step for its correction, vn the pas
SAGE OF an enumeration bill, was that offered In the
minority report Of the Assembly committee last year
which was to the effect that enumeration bill having
tcen enacted I'm 1885 the Legislature Is therefore.
absolved from further responsibility for the per
formance OF this obligation until 1888 such con
sruction however, is too preposterous 10 argue Inc
enactment OF the present legislative apportohmeht
and ths present Congressional pAtionmcDt were
botb violations OF the Constitution and therefore VOID
4, that construction is true one for the former was
not enacted till l679 four years after the enumenl'
t,on was taken and the latter not I'LL 1883, three
wears after the Federal enumeration. 1t is respect
fully suggested that IL the Legislature were still dis
posed TO maintain this strained construction OF the
constitutional obligation. II must in consistency
r.c.rd ths anportIonments OF 1879 and 1853 void
ana the election of its own members without authority
Of law. 40, -, - ,,
50 untenable is such a position that one Is forced
10 the conclusion that the refusal TO provide Tor
rel,tfnl representation has been based npon the un-
worthy move Of seeking TO retain partisan advantage
The political complexion Of the present Legislature,
rnmnycs the nnssihillY OF such motive as