New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-24
THE GOTERNOR on THE LEGISLATURE.

THE GOVERNOR on THE LEGISLATURE
The fusome culogy upon the career OF tho
Legislature of 1872 which Governor Flower
has just pronounced is largely eulogy upor
himself. Seeing how uncommonly well he
thinks of himself, il would not be altogether
inappropriate for him to present Flower with q
gold headed cane or Il silver tea service as d
slight token of his esteem for official services
rendered 1t is too bad that in the opinion OF
the great majority of his fellow-citizens self
praise goes but little ways"
Besides. there is a serious difficulty with this
eulogy. apart from its author. 1t is not found
ed on facts 1t is founded upon palpablc fc-
tion-fiction known to be fiction by every in
teligent man in the state who appreciates the
significance of what went on at Albany from
the beginning to the end of the session. Fol
example the Governor has the hardihood to
assert that the Legislature was free from scan
dals" With equal truth he might set up that
Mr. Edison is free from ideas relating to cleo
tricity No scandals in the last Legislature
Why. there never was Legislature more thor
oughly dseraced with scandals. Three men
were awarded seats in the Senate who never
the Court of Appeals, in the face of his con-
viction in the eyes of honest people, whatever
their politics, Of an outrageous crime against
the ballOt-bo was shielded from justice and
given character by both the Senate and AS
scmbly. That is the sort of Legislature II was
"a seat-stcaling Legislature, whitcwa>hng
Legislature. And yet Governor Flower, rcaiz-
Ing that he must rise or fall with the general
record of this body, has the monumental ef-
frontery to pretend that it was free from scan
dals.
The Governor points with pride To his APP
prevail of the Liquor bill and his veto of the
Cana-Tmprovemcnt bill. He speaks of the
former as "a well guarded Excise law Yes:
well guarded in the interest of the saloons.
Every reform association in the state de-
nounced it, 1t is generally recognized as a
blow aimed at the common veal. aS measure
beneficial to the taXeaters and decidedly detn-
mental to the taxpayers. The Canal Improve
ment bill on the other hand, was piece OF
legislation which aimed 10 conserve the com
mclcial supremacy of the Empire state. The
Constitution forbidS the sale of the main canals.
a fact which is potent argument in favor OF
maintaining them in a condition of the highest
efficiency Every important commercial body
in the state has expressed itself III favor OF
the policy of Improvement. Ii is conceded that
if the canals are 10 meet the best expectations
their locks must be heightened. BIT such con
siderations were thrown away on the Governor
The friends of rum could get their bill signed
the friends of canal improvement pleaded with
him in vain The two bills oughi to stand side
by side during the canvass, f,r they rye to
show what manner of official Governor Flower
u.s..
Some Of the other special references OF the
Governor to particular bills arc equally iP'la-
droit. lie commcndS the ccnSIlS-Which 1HE
TRIBUNE has shown - be glarlng fraud the
reapportionmcnt of the Congressional and l"gN
lativc dStrictS-two bra2cn gcrIymandcrS the
bill providing for Constitutional Convention
which the leading Democratic newspaper IN the
State has pronounced unconstitutional the
"IIuckcberry' bill So-cacd-a notorious job
conceived and put through to put money in
the pockets Of Il ring of Democratic bosses al
the expense Of the masses of the Annexed Dis
trict i" additional legislation required by the
great cities of the State''-a series Of wantOn
assaults upon tho principle Of home rule. some
of which were 50 extreme that even Demo
cratic newspapers protested against them.
Better keep quiet Governor. or talk about
the weather The more you talk Of your own
or the Legislatures record the wors" they will
both look 1t may be said Of both what Junius
said of one of the persons to whom he paid
his respects, that they escape criticism only
as they escape observation