New-York tribune., 1894-10-10
THE AMENDMENTS DISCUSSED
MONTHLY DINNER OF THE QUILL Gu D.
EDWARD LATTERBACH AND DE LANEf Nl'oL'
TALK ABOUT THE WORK OF THE CON
sTITUTIONAL CONVENTION EACH
FROM THE POINT or VIEW
OF HIS PARTY

FROM THE POINT OF VIEW
or HIS PARTY.
The Quill club held its thirty-seventh regular
monthly meeting last evening at the Arena III west
Thirty y-frst-st The occasion notable by reason
Of the topic chosen for the usual after-dinner us
cussion and the speakers who discussed H. Inc 'eV
F. H. Marling president Of the club introduced them
after a few new members had been elected ana the
subject for next meeting had been announced as
Vacation and Adventure" The new members are
benjamin Lord George L. Dimock, W. A. Brown
and ". H. F. Faunce.
The subject of the evening was the constitutional
Amendments" Edward Lauterbach. from the ke-
publican point Of view. and De Lancey Nlcoii from
the Democratic rehearsed the labors Of the Const-
tutional Convention Mr. Lauterbach started In with
a vim and sparkle that lasted through even the teen
Mica! portions Of the subject Coming 10 the matter
of the amendments themselves he said;
Inheed. ! hardly know whether there was much
occasion for the convention anyway Inc previous
constitution had been serviceabe ana uiiut, e ~ 1t
the State had attained great degree OF pros
perty So that work was not to destroy ana
overturn but 10 examine carefully the present
strong and sturdy. though much weather -beaten
cdifice. | think the task was approached win d
fair spirit. with zeal and amty am an earitss .,
desire for the good OF the state. The convention
,he thlrty-threo amendments twenty-eight were
practically unanimous. The Legislature whicn wa MaS
called by Hill in 92 and in two days passt' gerry
mander that would secure the state to the Demo
Gratis for all time seemed to Justify our slhe III the
undoins OF H. with thls exception thet' W. f'Tt -
teal unanimity. and four months OF earnest III
tense intelligent work.
Mr. fIutcrhach then went through all the ainehu-
menis IN detail characterzing rapidly ths chlei
points Of each and the history Of it's adoption. lie
said for instance that the convention had been
called a corporation concern Yet ii had passed TWO
amendments which were emphatically planned 10
assist ih. poorcr classes and others. or these
one was that raising the limit of indemnity In rail-
way accidents from 5000 s2oOn Since 1858 the
limit for 4 cause Of action has been only 5000 so
that It was actually the policy Of the railways TO
kin rather than to main. Corporation a"yer'
m, msclves helped To pass this measure through III
one afternoon The other was the elimination of the
act restricting the right of appeal to cases involving
NOR than 500 obviously an unfair iisadyaniage 10
the poor The speaker commented also .,' an d.iai, ,
m.nts for the prevention of riders on Appropriation
bil'. th. ulnrty-dlyS citizenship before voting tnt
pr hbition of passes; the abolishing OF cohtrac'
prison labor: bipartisan election boards; the sepdra-
A. for the classification of cities and the apporuon
mcni. Mr. Iauterbach declared that the cities sun
niclpa government. and that the Democratic polcy
against thcs" latter features was not raised III 'he
convention at all ,
10 be- in agreement with that OF his fellow delr-
gat. with the exception OF the apportionment rms
h. said he deeply regretted He regretted also the
fton for which ne said the Republicans made the
nominal excus. that tho Democrats had done the
same thing before them, Vet Mr Nlc9,l opined iur
ther that nobody need fear the amendments on ac-
count II the apportonmcnt measure. inasmuch as
they were quite harmless. The prison Labor clause,
too no. thought was mot bad. though II was
perfectly well enough. N"' this also Nta no cause
for rejecting th, amendments the good the con
was the killing Of innumerabie crank bills; It's
chief sins were those OF Oinis~l ~.