New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-13
TUE AMENDMENTS.

able 10 make rapid progress Win lis WIN
brnceforward seems probable from the auop''""
of fen amendments on Tuesday ANA from YES
,.rdoy's urocccdings Complaints of delay nave
heen freuucnt. and doubtless considerable" 'lli''
has been expended on propositions when never
had = chance of acceptance. But in The nature
of the cose this was inevitable: and moreover
,,,. bours which have been devoted 10 lntorili;il
and to some extent des,iiory discussion nave
M, been altogether wasted. Such interchange
,f oninions and even acrd controversy o1tri
contrihute to the final result though the nsciuI
affect may NOT be clearly disclosed 1t still re-
mains probable that the Convention Will he ui'-
ohla ~ complete It's work by the end Of this
week. the date originally fixed. and a recess
with n short session beginning ocop'r u
,l,.Iv to he ordered. II would be Il mistake, rs
we have said 10 leave numerous loose ENDS lor
IN. me,,. sake Of "A premature adjournment on
September IL.
Several of the amendments already p'>N'" ~ '
highly valuable and likely. If ratltrd 10y tue
proplc. 10 promote good government. III" ap"i',
ton of the Coroncrs office rs Il coiiStltu'i"hii
office is to be commended and II Is 10 Dc h"P''
that the Legislature will fill It's place with some
thing better In this city. at least 'oroh'IS
have not generally vindicatcd their Tile I'D o''i-
cial existence. and their proceedings nave ire
uuentlv been extremely scandalous. The du''S
which they now have 10 perform could almost
certainly be more suitably and efficiently MS
charged bv another agency. The amendment
urovidinc that no bill shall BE- passed by inc
I legislature until II has been printed ana Oh NE
for tbree legislative days is distinctly III the III
,crost Of good government. and VIII strongly
,,nd to crinplc iobbcrs The fact that only nlilr
Yates were east against II is crcditablc. Not
loss valuable IS the prohibition Of riders on APP
nronriation bills. which only thrcc delegates OPP
poscd II is also pleasant To note thii' Il n'IS'
minority voted for the amendment 'S'ap'Si'"7
thr right of the President OF tllr S'ia'e !" '''
in place Of the ni-Govrrhor Whrh NV
LATTER neslccts or refuses 10 perform HIS ""''
4 recent performance AZ Albany. whl'h II - NO.
necessary 10 specify. suggested III" d'S'ra"ii''
Of this provision. The requirement that an amen
must have been naturalizcd at Least hlh''! "'' :
before voting was slrcnuou>ly opposed ny Demo
cratic d.l,,ates but We do not believe that ms
will generally bc deemed too lAgh price 10
nav for tie privilege Of citizenship
Perhaps rhc most generally Interesting Oh NV
amendments thus faI adopted u thai r'il"''hS
th4 present limitation - 5000 az daii'lS'S IT,
coyerablc in cases OF death N accld"h'- iH'Ie
has long been a prevalent feeling tiEit thS re-
siriction frequently worked gross iiJuStIc" l"'
IN. benefit especially II railroad corporations
and that in eases of death ~ well ~ III eases
81 injury a Jury should determn" The sum !" "''
Maid bv drlinqucLis. Opposition 10 ihlS "n'""
mont has been made 10y railroad officials WI"
have represented that Oppr"SSiv" damages h's"'
me commonly assessed II there were II" const'n-
,ional limit. Th. dos no, seem to H. u lrSl'l-
mote argument and 1t has yet to be proved lhH'
snoh will be- the ease II Is not UNLIKELY ''"'
experience will prov" tb" contrary In" pr'''"'
prohibtion has not improl,ahy had me '"'''
of increasing the awards Of jurirS Tor injuries
incurred through accident or negligence ""'"-
f., a certain fecling OF resentment when " HIS
c,usrI II would not be- surprising u 10" ASer'
,ot. damages cxactcd from railroad colnPah''
should be smaller under ihr operation "i 'h'N
amendment than II has been hitherto.
II * still impossible to pr~lict In jus' Wha'
form several Of the most important amendments
will finally pass But We are especially Elau I"
hclInye that Legislatures will hereafter ~ mere
tofor. b, able 10 protect The cities OF ~" stare
from audaclous schemes II mischief III me
form in which the proposition relating To ms
matter now stands. II * provided that In the
c,s. ~ local measures the municipal authorities
shall have an opportunity 10 protest against
their enactment. but that the Legislature may
| thereafter pass them again over such protest ny
q majority vote and send them 10 the Governor
II would be- practically Impossible, "Xc'p' Ill
extraordinary circumstances, TO secure a thr'"-
Gfths vote In the Legislature To override Il
MAYORS veto. Nor can any reasonable com
plaint be- made against the procedure when i
now likely 10 be- recommended ny the '"hV'h-
ton. Ii would afford IN opportunity FOR dciiD
crate consideration. for an expression or pop
Mar opinion and for the forciblc presentation "i
such sound arguments in opposition ~ Local
authorities were able 10 muster. Further IMAM
this we do not think II is al present desirable
To 90 In The direction Of home rule.
CROWNEPS-QUEST Law.