New-York tribune., 1894-04-28
4 SPLENDID RECORD.


The LEGISLATURE adjourned yesterday with
record of which the Republican party has a
right TO be proud. and which. we believe, the
people of this State will gratefully approve
Some things were done which we were sure
that it was our duty to oppose, and some things
were left undone which hoped would be
accomplishcd but the faults both Of omission
and commission were few in number and in
significant in comparison with the services rem
dered TO good government
1t is unfortunate that some municipal salaries
heretofore quite large enough were raised, that
the police court system In this city was not
ovcrhauled that the life of the Subway Com
mission was prolonged that the Corrupt frac-
tces act was not strengthened. and that the
"Huckleberry" railroad charters were con-
frmcd But it is Just to say that this last
action would have been reconsidered If Lieu
tenant-Go Governor Shcehan had not arbitrarily
intcrfered and that if the police courts have not
been reconstructed they are about TO be sub
icctcd to a searching investigation. 1t Is Just
TO say also that the nominal Repubncan ma
jority in the Senate was small, that for one
member of it the Republican party was not
responsible. and that two or three others whose
fidelity wavered at critical moments recovered
their bearings in time to avert the mlschici
which their instability had threatened. Or
nearly all the Republicans in both houses 1t
deserves to he said that they honored them
selves. their party and the people by stcad1as'
unselfish, efficient service.
We have suggested the few failures. as they
appcar TO us. Of a laborlous and peculiarly i'm
portant session. The record of successes Is
long and brilliant. 1t includes three great
measures to secure honest elections ana tI're
by protect the very foundation of free govern
ment-the bill providing for bipartisan ioice
Board in this city and enlarging the powers OIL
the Superintendent; the bill dividing boards oi
election inspectors equally between the TWO
parties throughout the State; and the blanket
ballot and individual pastcr bill. Every one
of these was n Republican measure in It's origin
substance and support. Two OF thcih were
strenuouSly and bitterly opposed hy every Dem
ocratic member and by all the influence of that
party and they may be vetoed by the "'V-
crnor But they were passed by Republican
Legislature, and the people VIII rauly 'hcin
whatever the Governor does.
In addition to these three measures 10 pro-
,cct honest voters the record Of the session
contains the following entries every one OF
them a proof of Republican fidelity. and nearly
every one q triumph over relentless Dehocrauc
hostility: The bill empowering the Mayor "l
York TO remove heads OF departments NJ
his discretion; the bill requiring the Dock De
partment to adopt the contract system; the Dill
making genuine rapid transit n probability OF
the near future; the bill 10 create new non
partisan Park Board OF two members; the bill
putting the Sheriff Of New-iork on a hXed
salary and turning his enormous fees into the
city treasury bills restoring local government
to several cities which greedy ana tyranhical
bosses have plundcrcd; bills rcScung GraVesehd
and other Kings County towns from the grip
Of knavcs by uniting them with brooklyn; the
bill incorporating the Providcnt Loan Society
for philanthropic purposes; the bill forbdding
the destruction Of the City Hall; the Dill ap
propriating money to pay for the indispensable
investigation of Ncw-York City departments,
and tax rate which conclnsivcly tcstlhcs 10
Republican honesty and vigilance Among The
numerous jobs Of various sizes which were
defeated II is pleasure 10 specify the bll L"
legalizc the scandalous conduct Of the Park
BOARD In the matter Of the Harlem Speedway
sidewalks.
The Republican members have a right to feel
| especially proud Of the fact that, despite re
duction In the receipts Of the State from its in
| direct taxes, the lIHerllal'e liA anu INV WI
poration tax, amounting to S1,000,o0O, they were
| still able. owing to their economy In making
| appropriations, to reduce the State tax rate
| from the 25S mills as fixed by the Democratic
| LEGISLATURE Of 1S93 to 2.1S mills. The reduc-
| tion Of taxation is best shown by figures.
comparison Of the appropriations made by the
two Legislatures shows that the Republicans
this wear appropriated S15,1o2,G3G ~, while the
Democrats In 1893 appropriated SlI.426335 0S
| a gain of So 323, 500 II in favor Of the Repub-
! lican Legislature.
The people of the State Of NewYork declared
| their purpose last November 10 have done with
the scoundrels who had long disgraccd and
oppressed them and to resume control of their
own welfare TO complete the work which they
| had begun at the polls they sent Il Republican
Legislature to the Capitol. They have intcntly
! watched It's work, and we confidently believe
that they will find in the record Of an eventfnl
session ample reason for giving 10 the party
and its representatives a vote OF commcndation
| and confidence at the next election.