New-York tribune., 1894-10-22
CONSTITUTIONAL REVISION.
WHAT THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS
ARE
A BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE THIRrY-THREE
CHANGES. AND WHAT THEY ARE IN
TENDED TO EFFECT.


.,endments n the State Constitution TO be passed
upon at the coming election. and snort statement
when necessary. of what each is designed 10 ac-
complish:
l. To permit the Legislature to abolish corohers.
nv removing from the Constitution all mention OF
the Office This branch Of the public service IS
generally regarded as being in an unsatisfactory
condition g.,
To require that all bills shall BE printed in finai
form at least three days before their passage thus
providng further safeguards against abuses IN ieg-
islation.
g. To authorize the Speaker Of the Assembly 10
Nil vacancy Governor after the Lieutenant
Governor thus defining fully the succession
to the chief magistracy
T. To abolish the limitation OF SWo TOT damages
from INJURIES causing death This limitation seems
unjust in view OF fact that damages which may
be recovered for injury not producing death are
unlimited
s. To authorize the President of the Senate TO act
as ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. thus enarging the express
Constitutional powers of the former
g. To include institutions supported by private
charity among those whose inmates 90 not acquire
or lose a residence for the purpose Of voting
Z To remove the prohibition against the sale OF
the Onondaga Salt Springs. which are "A constant
loss to the State.
g. To permit the trial OF voting machines or some
method. Of recording and counting votes. II FOUND
to be superior to the present system OF election oy
ballot
g. To abolish the Code Commission. whose work
has been completed
TO- To prohibit riders on appropriation hiils'
Another safeguard against abuses in legislative pro-
cedure.
II To REQUIRE period of ninety days instead OF
only ten days Of citizenship before the right to
vote can be exercised. This Is designed TO DO away
with the notorious grinding out OF citizens on the
eve of elections and will tend TO induce more
rigid inquiry into the qualifications Of applicants
for citizenship
70 To change the date Of meeting Of the Legisla-
ture from Tuesday TO Wednesday. so that the sun
day before the beginning of the session need not
be taken up by the Speakershp contest
49, To prohibit the issue of passes by railroad
telegraph and telephone companies TO public Off
GERS Obviously a step TO lessen the opportunities
for corporations to make tools of public servants
a. To abolish the contract system OF convict
labor thus forbidding the competition OF prison
work with free and honest labor
Is To provide for securing fair elections by re-
quiring that the two principal parties snail be
equally represented on all election boards
1s To require the Legislature provide for free
public schools in which all the children of the State
may be educated; and TO prohibit absolutely the
use of public money in aid of secarian schools thus
carrying out the American principle of complete
separation of Church and State.
H. To secure a more speedy and effective admin
istration Of justice throughout the State by such
a revision of the judiciary system as Will remedy
prevailing evils due the overcrowding OF trial
calendars and Of the calendar of the Court OF Ap-
peals The principal features of this amendment
are the consolidation Of the Superior city courts
with the Supreme Court and the establishment In
place of the nine general terms existing, of
four tribunals. each composed OF five justices OF the
Supreme Court who shall form court OF last re-
sort upon ali questions of fact and upon all In
terloc;tory proceedings in each OF the new de-
parments. The imposition of money limit upon
the right Of appeal to the Court OF Appeals for
declaration and settlement Of the law is prohi oited
'ls. To provide TOR a new apportonment of Sena-
tors and Assemblymen. the membership of the
Senate to be 80 and of the Assembly 10 In
both cases the distribution Is made with entire
fairness and in exact accordance with popula-
tion so far as the maintenance of county lines
permits
49, To prohibit the sale Of public lands in the
forest preserve and the cutting Of timber thereon
A measure to preserve the water supply of the
principal streams and a health resort for the peo
pie.
90 To establish in the Constitution the present
satisfactory system of registration. forbidd!ng.
however. any requirement of personal attendance
on the first Cay OF registration in the thiny set
tied regions outside of the cities and large vii
lagos.
q and 90 TO separate in the larger cities munich
pal elections from the State and National elections
This is be accomplished By re-arranging the
terms OF and times of election of certain pub
lie that State officers VIII be elected
iu even-numbered years and municipal officers in
oGd-numbered years. This proposed separation Of
elections is looked upon important step toward
securing the reform Of city governments as II will
tend TO promote the management of municipal af-
fairs upon their merits; and Il Will also per
init the determination OF great issues at stake in
National and State elections upon their merits.
without demoralzing entanglements with purely
local questions and contests.
23 To permit the sale of the Hamburg Canal in
Buffalo.
so4 To authorize the Legislature provide for
the Improvement of the canals. without. however.
borrowing money for that purpose. unless the
people authorize IL according TO Article VII, sec
tion i2 of the present Constitution. Unless such
authority is given, Improvements must be paid
for they go on in the same way that the ex-
pense Of maintaining and repairing the canals
Is betrayed present; so that the expenditure
will always remain under the control of the peo-
pie. Owing to the severe competition Of railroads
In other States and of Canadian railroads and
canals. II is obvious that II NewYork State and
City are TO retain their commercial supremacy.
our interior waterways should be widened and
deepened and equipped with whatever will con-
duce to more speedy communication with Western
States.
g. To provide for regulating and limiting the pay
ment Of public money to private institutions for
the support of certain wards OF the State who
could not otherwise be provided for. by deprving
the Legislature Of the power to pass mandatory
laws compelling municipal subdivisions to make
such payments, and by subjectng such expendi-
lures to the control Of the State Board OF Chari-
ties This is intended TO inherent evil In
the application Of public money in the way of
private charity
26. To place limitation upon city and county
debts and 20 effect a classification Of cities An
important feature Of this amendment is provls-
ION that notice shall be given TO municipal authori-
ties before special acts affecting the larger cities
can take effect In case the consent OF such au-
thortes is withheld from any measure the Legis-
lature can pass IT again by a majority vote. Thus
the fullest expression of public and official opinion
may be allowed and opportunity afforded for
deliberate reconsideration by the Legislature
a. To fix the date for the Constitution to take
effect-January ]. 1897