New-York tribune., 1894-10-31
A LETTER FROM MIR. CHOATE.
AMENDMENTS EXPLAINED.
HIS MASTERLY EXPOSITION OF THE AP-
PORTIONMENT ARTICLE.
IN A COMMUNICATION TO THE TRIBUNE HE
REVIEWS AT LENGTH THE WORK OF THE
CONSTITUTIONAL CONvENTIoN-LIBERAL-
ITY TO NETWORK AND BROOKLYN
ALI. PARTISANsHIP LAID ASIDE
IN AN HONEST EFFORT
TO PREVENT GERRY
MA'NDERS.

The amendments to the State Constitution
drawn IN by the Constitutional Convention
to be laid before the people next Tuesday for
their approval. II would not be easy to dwell
too long or too strenuously on the far-reaching
importance Of the provisions which ii Is sought
to emb0dy in the organic law of the Common
wealth yet the great body OF voters do not seem
To- be sufficiently acquainted with the amend
ments to give intelligent judgment on them
II IS this ignorance upon which Senator Hill re-
lies in his sweeping denunc!ations Of the work OF
the convention and IT IS this ignorance alone that
the friends Of the new Constitution fear.
Hill does not deal in facts and arguments, but
IN broad assertions and bitter invectivc A plain
statement Of the amendments with an account oi
how they were passed and analysis OF the one
that relating to legislative apportionment-
which Is the chief object Of Democratic at
tack IL all that Is needed 10 refute the Sena-
tors charges. Joseph II. Choate. who was pres-
dent Of the Constitutional Convention. In letter
which IS published on pages II and IL Of The
Tribune this morning. does the public the great
service Of explaining the amendments. To the
one concerning the apportionment he deVotes
most OF his attention.
THE DEBATES WITHHELD.
Democratic trickery is largely to blame for
the fact that the public is not more thoroughly
familiar with the apportionmon, provision the
contract for printing the debates OF the conven-
ton was given by Democratic officials to
Democratic corporation In Albany. The proceed
ings were published from day to day until the ap-
portionment was taken up Since that time the
official printers have quietly kept al the minutes
and given nothing to the public 1t was on the
speeches made in Albany that the delegates
largely relied to insure general acquaintance
with the terms OF the apportionment article.
Mr. Choate made great personal sacrifices to
attend the sessions of the convention through
the summer months and ne has given additional
evidence of his public spirit and patriotism by
writing the letter which The Tribune lays be-
fore It's readers to-day. He took time from his
well-mcrited vacation to prepare this juS,'hcaton
n the conventions action. No one who has any
pride in this great Empire State and who wishes
10 SOC Il we'll governed can afford 10 pass this
letter nv The terms cf the appointment ar
ticlc alone convey no thorough idea ~ the sub
icci 10 the lay mind but Mr.. Choate treats the
questions involved with singular lucidity and
force The discussion Is robbed Of all dryness by
his mastery style. and becomes positively at
tractive.
CONVINCING STATEMENT.
Every one who will read Mr. Choate's words
without partisan prejudice VIII, IL Is pcHeNeu
find his facts and arguments absolutely convinc-
irg The great mass of the amendments was
passed by practically unanimous vote In the
convention Democratic attack on them Is due
chiefly 70 the theory that tho best way 70 defeat
rcapportionment Is 10 oppose the amendments
as a whole.
The adoption OF the new appOrtiOnment. as Mr..
Choate points out will effectually stop gerry
rnanders by both parties. Considerations Of
territory and diversified interests are not en-
urely overlooked. and on the other hand. the
future asccrdency II the great cities "a not Inn
uaIred 10 any great degree. II will surprise
those ~ both parties who have not studied the
and Brooklyn have been treated They nave
practically the same share ~ representatives, in
Albany under the proposed arrangement as
under the present one. bugaboo has been
made Of tho Limitation Of NcwYork and Kings
County To one-half the total number ~ Senators.
Mr. Choate not only shows that this is just. but
tha, II Will not prevent the Greater New-fork
from controlling the Legislature. That municl-
nnlity Of tie future will take In Nchnonu
Comfy and part OF Queens and Westchester' AS
we'll AS New-York and Kings. lf Its total popu-
lation Is sufficient Il will. therefore. have more
,han 20 ner cent " the representation at Albany
The gravity II the issues involved In the Vo,e
on the amendments makes II worth every ctl-
zen's while 10 learn Just what are the PROPOSE
lions submitted by the convention NO more
trustworthy and agreeable way OF doing TINS can
be found than by reading the letter of Joseph II
Choa.e printed this morning on P"6'S II anu
10 Of The Tribune.