New-York tribune., 1895-02-14
SCHEMING FOR PASSES.
.csrNRI.yMAN BRAUNS BILL RETIRED
M FAVOR OF SENATOR RoBERTsoN's.
Mp INswoRrH THINKS THAT FREE TRANsPoR-
TArION SHOULD RE FORBIDDEN Io ALL
rEnsoNs-THE QUESTION TO
RE CONSIDERED TO-DAY.

rrnsoxs-TIIE QUESTION TO
pr CONSIDERED TO-DAY.
,,.,,. rsh y tspeciaD.-Iust most Of the
c.a,o senator's were leaving Albany to-day for
po.hee,er on the special tram or the RocheS'er
,,ho,ober Of Commerce the Assembly got ltseil INTO
. ,apple over the question OF free transportation AT
,h ox,ense of some else. Whether the Assem-
h,,,,en envied the free ride Of the Senators Is un-
Lno,n b,t this may have suggested consideration
Of the bill at this time. For over a week Mr.
Rraun's bill has been the first upon the Assembly
calendar 1t provides for the free transportation
of state officers members of the Legislature and
employes thereof. Mr.. Braun had been awaiting an
oprortunity to advance his bill to third reading.
"What is the bill?' Mr. Ainsworth asked. when
Mr.. Braun called it up. He was told lie was
further told that it applied to all state oihcers
Every man who takes the oath is state othcer'
said Mr.. Answorth. Therefore, every notary puDhe
is a State officer and ride free under the pro
visions OF this bill" The Republican leader thought
that provision altogether too sweeping NOT u ~
like the principle of the bill. This Is a h'"' "
legislation" said he. that. it seems 10 me, Is 0 ,
what beneath the dignity of this body nave n
IL in mind TO offer amendment p'o''''e -
roiiroad cornoraton from issuing passes 10 an! o0'
That is the action. l believe. when we S'O'''' ,,
II any, The people expressed themselves 'I,i
question last fall. and believe II 10 IN" ~, lii
for this body to put Itself In connie, y, w','i " s
=, Tho peon,e He declared that the Dill was so lar
h,ro =, i,s nrovsions that a large percentage OF
all tho neop,e in the state could ride free i move
TO strike out the enactins clause oil 'he pin' S"i
Mr. Ainsworth and the Assemblymen began |"
listen to the debate II,
NJr Wray of Brooklyn. the next speaker WHO
.o,orad tho bill was clearly much dismayed by
Mr. Ainsworth's onslaught but managed TO say
this was question which naturally wouid DE APP
proached with difidence by any member ol 'he
Legislature. But" he continued this Is as good
a time a. any 10 deal with this question we
neon,e get over their spasm of virtue. If it may be
called that and then pass some such bill as TINS
The same view taken by Mr fltzgeraiu' ol
New-York, who early in the session oHereu p'"
upon the subject. Mr. Fitzgerald held that the
constitutional Convention did not Intend that the
legislators should pay for travelling to and from
Albany He quoted from the records of the con-
vention TO show that OF its committees had re-
ported favorably an amendment giving senators
and Assemblymen mileage at the rate OF cents
a mile for twelve trips home during each session.
Mr. Fitzgerald said this amendment had been re-
ported 10 the Convention. and he was assured IL
would have passed. but for the fact that IT was re-
ported late the session and was not reached De-
fore adjournment.
Mr. Ainsworth who had been consulting with
members about the House offered amendment
prohibiting absolutely the issuing of passes TO any
one by any one. This amendment made II misde-
neanor for any corporation to issue pass. ana LOT
any one to use pass. Mr.. Answorth said that
the Legislature had had passes refused to 1t be-
cause acceptance Of them was supposed to influence
the action of the legislators upon affairs affecting
the railroads The evil which the Constitutional
Convention was aiming at, in his opinion. was the
idea that the acceptance OF passes by legislators
imposed upon them obligation. He wanted MS
proposition TO prohibit absolutely the issuing of all
passes to go to the judiciary Committee with MI
Braun's bill. the discussion went on, the Ke-
publican leader said that the press was the great
conservator Of public morals. Therefore, II the
piyi of to influenced
ceivers Of them then 1t followed that the giving Of
passes to newspapers Influenced them also. Inc
gentlemen who daily report the proceedings OF this
house" said he 'have influence than the
whole l2s members. If going into the pass
business let us include the power that is greater
than ours"
Mr. Hennessy then took exception TO some OF Mr..
Answorth's remarks which he had understood as
rejecting upon the motives which guided the policy
of the great metropolitan press. He called the Os-
wego member to account for remark to the effect
that the newspapers sent TO the president Of a
railroad company and said that If he wouldn't give
them passes they would hammer the company.
Mr. Hennessy 'if / said that | certainly didn't
mean it. And if said it, | withdraw It now" Con
tinuing. Mr. Hennessy declared that the newspapers
could not be purchased by the railroads or anybody
else. and that the railroads were under more ooiga-
tons to the newspapers thah the heWspdPgIs 10
railroads. Mr.. Ainsworth felt that he hdd Dern
misunderstood. and explained that by his compari,
son ne meant only 10 show that legis.atorS were
no more influenced by passes than newspapers were,
OF this House." said Mr.. Malby, Of 81. Lawrence,
ment. influenced by the reception of a pass
| have seen persons who were inclined 10 look
fecting railroad corporations, who may have been
reminded by having passes that the iaiiToadS ono did
est of good legislation. that the passes ought TO
hypocrisy Of the. convention which adopted The
pass provision greater libel never s was IaId 10
the anti-pass amendment by the Consututonal
Convention upon the sround, on which II was
1.-The people OF the state have said that we shall
may be wrong. But if So. then let us submit tie
e Sean not 10 tier s iSf be
State are influenced in the slightest degree by
railroad passes p % issued to them But the hiypocrsy
os anG SAW 16s m e b Sa6 IN @
in that conyention apply for and receive from the
secretary OF the the railway an annual railway pass:
where am now standing. against the pass sys-
Mr. Bullard. of Orleans. made the point that the
people had expressed their opposition TO passes for
the State had been required TO draw bill to get
around the provisions Of the new Constitution. lie
vision, either directly indirectly.
At this Roin' NJ Braun n, accepted the arnendmen,
be substituted for the Braun bill; This
taken. and the bill was referred TO the judiciary
Committee with instructions to report tomorrow
The substituted bill Is more carefully drawn. and
pass certiicates to the Governor Iicntenani-I Gov
ernor. all the State officers. Senators, Assembymen
and their assistants. the Judges OF the Court Of
Appeals and the Justices Of the Supreme Court.
the Superintendent Of Public Instruction, the Super
intendent OF Prisons and the commissioned officers
OF the State militia. This bill Is still in the Senate
committee II drawn up by Louis Marshall.
a member OF the Constitutional Convention. who
thinks II the only legal way Of lodging what the
constitution says about the granting Of passes.
LANsINGBCRG CHARTER BILL PASSED.
Albany. Feb. IL (SpeciaD-The question OF home
rule came up again to-day in the Assembly. 1t