New-York tribune., 1895-12-31
ASSEMBLING IN ALBANY.
MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE MEET
AND TALK.
SPEAKER F1sHs PARI.oR THE REPUBLICAN
DQUARTERs-DIFFERING VIEWS AS TO
THE GREATER NEw-YoRK-No REFER
ENDUM OK THE SUNDAY CUES
TION LlKEI.Y-A FORECAST or


THE CAUCUsES
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBuNEl
Albany. Dec SO-The Legislature OF 1885,
/ larger than any similar body which ever met in
the Empire State with fifty Senators and $50
Assemblymen began to indicate its presence in
Albany to-day. Every passenger train brought
groups OF It's members. accompanied by their
/ wives and constituents. the latter anxious for
office
Governor Morton received visits from many
+ of the newly arrived Senator'S and Assembly
men at the Executive Chamber. and appeared
| to be IN an especially cheerful mood. owing, no
| doubt TO the fact that he had completed his
annual message to the Legislature which will
be submitted to that body when 1t meets on
/ January /. The members of the Legisa ure also
/ paid visits to the reelected Republican State
/ offic y s-John Palmer. the Secretary of State;
James \. Roberts, state Controller; Theodore
T.. Hancock. Attorney-General: Addison Col
win. State Treasurer. and Campbell w Adams,
State Engineer. who will be sworn into office
on Wednesday for three more years of service.
Hamilton Fish. who will be Speaker of the
Assembly for a second term. opened headquar-
ters at the Hygeia Hotel in State-st. He had
q big parlor on the first floor directly off State
ST. and nearly all the Senators and Assembly
men on their way to the Capitol went to see the
Speaker and have a chat with their fellow
members. The place thus became political
headquarters IN the course of the day for the
members OF the Republican majority
Few Democratic Senators Assemblymen
have yet arrived in Albany. Being feeble
minority in both houses. they apparently think
1t needless for them to come early
TALK OF THE GREATER NEN-YORK.
The conversation In Speaker Fish's room
showed that most of the members think that
the two chief subjects for consideration by the
Legislature are the Greater NewYork bill and
the liquor laws 1t was obvious also. that
there was no unity Of opinion to the meas
ure which is to be submitted for the union vt
New-York, Brooklyn and Long Island City.
Whether or not Brooklyn should have refer
endum also was disputed point. Some ex-
pressed the belief that the question should be
resubmitted 10 the decision Of Brooklyn, at
least in view of the small majority for conscl-
idation given by Kings County and not given
at all by Brooklyn proper at the time the vote
was taken Senator Walter l.. Brown, Of One
onta, said:
Il do not believe that Brooklyn ought to be
forced against the will Of its taxpayers, 10
unite with New-York, and certainly it would be
to the interest of New-York that Brooklyn
should desire union, rather than separate cX-
istence. when the act of union should be passed
by the Legislature. | would not desire Scho-
harie County, for instance, against its own
desire to be united by law Of the Legislature
to my own county Of Otsego."
The Nsw-York Senators md Assembfymen
.e,d that the Creator New-York bill, from what
they had heard from the men having 1t In
charge, would probably contain provision
aboshing the present Police Commissions Of
New-York. Brooklyn and Long Island City.
and creating a metropolitan board of police,
the members to be named by the Governor and
the Senate Yet. they said. while the bill
might contain this remarkable provision. they
had their doubts TO its being approved by
the Legislature. Certainly such a provision
would be bitterly fought. 1t would recreate the
State commission system, discarded as objec-
tionable after long trial between 1857 and
1872 1t would be attempt TO rule New-Yorlt
from Albany. and the Democratic party would
be justified in raising a cry of home rule
against 1t.
Another source of doubt expressed as to the cre
alton OF a metropolitan board II police was that
II might be decided TO be unconstitutional. IL |
was argued that it was at least debatable ques-
tion whether the consent of the Mayor Of each of
the three cities concerned. New-York, Brooklyn |
and Long Island CITY, was not required under |
the new constitution for the passage Of Greater |
New-York bin. 1t was true that Speaker Fish
had contended while the Greater NewYOrk bill |
was under consideration in the winter Of 1885. that
no submission Of it TO Mayor Strong, of New |
York: Mayor Schieren of Brooklyn, and Mayor |
Sanford, Of Long Island City, was required, but |
then the courts might take different view Of the |
matter.
THE LIQUOR QUESTION AND CANALS.
The discussion Of proposed liquor legislation dis
closed unanimous opposition among the Repub- |
Iican rural Senators and Asscmblymen to the |
granting Of permission to New-York, Brooklyn |
and Buffalo or other cities. to vote on the ques-
ton Of the sale of liquor on Sunday in those
places. This view was also held by several Or the
city Republicans. 1t appears that there is no
likelihood whatever that referendum on the
Sunday liquor question Will be granted 10 the
cities Of the State Liquor legislation, ii appeared
from the talk of the members. will be limited to
reformation Of the bad legislation OF the fraudu-
lert Democratic Legislature OF 1872 There was
general approval Of Warner Millers idea that
some excise law havin5 high-lcense provisions
should be passed.
good deal Of admiration Of Senator Raines's
State LIQUOR Tax bill expressed. 1t was
argued that State tax. for instance, OF $1,000 in
first-class cities Ike New-YorB would greatly re-
duce the number Of saloons ana would also insure
a large income 10 the State Treasury. There was
disposition to think that at least half the state
tax should go to the cities or towns collecting II
and not TO the county within which 1t was col
lected IL being pointed out that. in rural county
like Tompkins. II would be unjust 10 deprive the
little city of Ithaca of It's excise fees TO large ex
tent and give them TO smaller towns having no
saloons IL is probable that the proportion OF the
State tax given in Senator Rainess bill. one-half
will he decreased somewhat by the Legislatu ture.
II was also clear from the talk OF the mem
bers that a good deal OF important legislation
in relation to the canals is expected, IN con
sequence OF the vote 70 spend ssooo'o1o & III ,le
OF the Erie. Oswego and Cham
plain canals
LEADERS AND CHAIRMEN.
The Republican Senator'S at the caucus which
they will hold tomorrow night. will undoubted-
lv select Timothy f.. Ellsworth, Of Lockport as
their candidate for President pro tenn; John S.
Kenvon. Of Syracuse. for clerk, and Garret j.
Renson of Albany for sergeant arms The
Senators intend TO name Jacob A.
cantor of NeU--York as their choice for Presi-