New-York tribune., 1894-10-31
az street railroads. II would seem to


he wholly out of the question. by an enactment
IN our organic law, TO confer upon them irreV-
,cably such vast powers. which would only be
onrsed and applied to the spoliation and destruc-
ton of the city. Besides this, nardly TWO men
,ra tound N agree on what should be the true
and sc,entific ARRANGEMENT Of municipal govern
nent and SO we contented ourselves with pro-
vidinp for the separation Of municipal elections
from State and Federal elections in all the larger
cities recurring the former to be held on the
dd-numbered years and the latter on the even
numbered years, a provision which we believe 10
be an opening wedge for all other municipal re-
forms and to be itself vast step forward IN
the way Of rescuing municipal affairs from the
disgraceful confusion In which they are now low m m
yolyed This change seemed TO be demanded oy
the unanimous voice of the members represent
ing all parties and we believe 1t to be one OF
great significance and importance ~
Ths convention also required that no pilIs
affecting the internal affairs OF city should be
passed without first transmitting a certified copy
thereof 10 the local authorities of the city, ana
giving them fifteen days for its consideration ana
time to state their objections to the proposed
enactment. Should these wholesome provisions
to municipal government be adopted athpush sl
they stop far short OF what many ideallsts nave
contended for / have every confidence that they
will greatly promote the regeneration OF muhicl-
pal affairs in this State
END-OF-THE- SESSION sCRAMBLES
The convention has also endeavored by an
other amendment to put stop 10 an aggravated
and constantly growing legislative abuse. 1t is
well known that the great mischief existing under
the present Constitution in regard to legislation Is
the facility with which, in the last days OF the
session. into which almost the entire final action
upon the whole work Of the Legislature is con-
centrated, opportunity is given for corruption
for deception. for misunderstanding. for mistake
and for amendment. 1t is safe TO say that nine
tenths of the bad legislation which is presented
from every Legislature In recent years Is 'he
work Of the last three days and mostly. in fact.
OF the last day of the session, when the work Is
so hurried and so confused that the members
voting upon the bills hardly aware OF their
contents. Without imputing to members of for
mer Legislatures any unworthy purposes or de-
signs II is probably far within the truth TO say
that very many bills at each session. and those
of great Importance. have slipped through on
the heel of the session which would not by any
possibility have passed If time for consideration
had been permitted To remedy this serious
evil the convention has provided that no bil! snail
be passed become law unless II shall have
been printed and on the desks Of the members
in its final form at least three calendar legis
lative days prior to its passage. We commend this
provision worthy of universal acceptance on
the part OF the voters OF the State.
TO STOP NATURALIZATION FRAUDS
For the protection Of the suffrage another
amendment Of the first importance has been de-
v:scd. Any attending our courts Of justice
Just before the expiration Of ten days prior TO
the election must have been struck with dismay
at discovering the fact that the required busi-
ness Of the courts is largely suspended for the
purpose of manufacturing citizens out Of raw
material. Whole armies Of recent immigrants
are at the las; moment brought before the judges
for rai;z bV "a constituted
Of political organizations and are hustled
through the form Of naturalization without the
least regard TO the requirements Of the letter or
the spirit Of the law The act. l believe, re-
quires that the judge before signing the natural
ization papers shall be satished OF the gooa
moral character of the appli' OF MS aoJu-
ration Of allegiance to ary for' sn sovereign
and that he understands tha ep''it OF the Con-
stitution of the United States; but 1t has been
ascertained that a single Judge has naturalzed
as many as 500 citizens in one day OF ordi-
nary court hours which would be at the rate
Of over sixty per hour, allowing less than
minute for each applicant. This wholesale sys-
tenn OF naturalization which can hardly be called
other than fraudulent, has probably been one OF
the largest sources Of frauds upon the suffrage
as n WAS impossible for a judge in the short
time occupied to ascertain that the applicant
conformed in any respect 10 the requirements or
the law And 50 hun 1reds and thousands OF
immierants freshly landed have been slipped
through and made citizens and voters al ume
too near the election 10 provide for me appnca-
ton Of any test examination To remedy this
most fragrant outrage upon the suffrage, the
Convention has proposed TO the people TO enact
very simple provision which will suDstantiaily
but a stop TO IT, and that is that no person shdii
exercise the right of suffrage in this state unu!
he has been for nnety days citizen Wmch
period will give full opportunity to the cs folcs
Department. II IL undertakes the duty imposed
upon ii by law. or II not to the representatives
Of private organizations. 10 sift the naturaliza.
ton lists and reject procure the rejection OF
all who have been naturalized fraudulentlv or
without right 1t will take the naturalization or
foreigners out Of the hands Of the campaign com
mittees. and leave it 20 the spontaneous action
of such as desire themselves to become citizens
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Another subject of the first importance and
interest TO the people Of the State that was
from its first meeting pressed upon the atten-
ton of the convention was the preservation
and extension Of our system of public schools.
1t was ascertained that there had already begun
in various parts Of the State practices whereby
public money. raised by taxation for the support
OF the common schools. was diverted to the
maintenance and support Of sectaran schools.
not Of any single or particular sect. but of many
sects-Protestant and Catholic alike. The con-
vention believed that If there was one senti-
rnent dearer TO the hearts Of the people than
any other il was that the public schools should
be preserved in their integrity as schools under
the control of the State alone. and that not
dollar of public money should under any cir
cumstances whatever be diverted TO schools in
which any UNCONVENTIONAL tenet was taught,
and they have so provided. This amendment
received the support Of almost the entire body
of the DELEGATES from city and country-Cat thOlic,
Protestant and Hebrew-and was loudly APP
plauded by mer of every variety of opinion
a satisfactory solution Of the question that had
been raised. II was considered in the conven-
ton in immediate connection with the other
L. ~ aarlica tiar of nllhlic