New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-22
GOOD LEGISLATIVE WORK.
IMPORTANT MEASURES PUSHED BY AS
SEMBLYMAN SANGER
BILLS DEALING WITH BALLOT REFORM AND THE
CIVIL SERNICE-A TALK WITH 4hE
ONEIDA REPRESENTATIVE.

ONEIDA REPRESENTATIVE
IFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRiBcNEl
Albany April 2l.-Assemblyman Wilham Naly
Sanger OF Oneida County, for new member Is
making an excellent impression IN the NSSei"o'S,
and IL he remains in Albany, 1t IS apparent WI"
become one of the leaders OF that body lie mas
been trusted by the ballot-reformers OF New orN
with their bin reforming the ballot system OF the
State and upon him Will fail the task OF taxing
out OF John Raines's bill on the same SUBJECT lis
highly pernic,ous feature Of permitting lHl'e'ae
voters to bring friends into the ballot booth with
them and have them fix their ballots ior theHi'
This provision of the Ranes BILL as Lieutenant
Governor Saxton pointed out a week ago III Inc
Tribune opens the door wide TO fraud ana the
purchase of votes. Mr.. Sanger has also lntroduceu
a Corrupt Practices act, which he believes VIII
nut an end. If it passes. to the eNtortinS oil ue
money of corporations by political bosses ana
political committees. under guse OF contrDu-
tions and under a promise Of giving protection
70 these corporations in the Legislature Moreover
Mr.. Sanger is supporting earnestly the New-A orK
Reform bills Speaking upon this subject yesterday
Mr.. Sanger said:
..rho overwhelming sentiment of the Republican
marty in Oneida County. and, l believe, throughout
the State is in favor % the passage OF the New
York City Reform bills. If this sentiment Is as
strong as believe IL TO be- II Will be recoEHZeu ny
the members OF the Legislature and will be needed
by them The steadily improving prospect OF pass
ing these bills to which Chauncey NJ. Depew and
others have recently alluded is due in ADDITION 10
other causes the fact that the strength OF the
feeling in the party regarding these measures Is
being felt by the representatives IN Albany r"-
thermore the official utterances OF Governor MOT
ton on this subject have greatly improved the po-
ntica situation. His action in this respect mas met
with general and hearty approval throughout the
country districts"
Mr. Sanger says that If the Raines party-column
bill Is TO pass its present provision Tor the i'erae
voter must surely be done away with, or the Ike
publican party will suffer disgrace by passing SUCH
a measure. He hopes that his own bill now before
the Assembly also. will he substituted Tor the
Raines bill This bill of Mr.. Sangers provides for
the grouping In alphabetical order under me ute
of each office Of the names of all candidates FOR
that office. Party symbols are so printed upon Inc
ballot that the iliterate man can vote by refer
ence to the symbols without assistance. MT
Sanger's Ballot Reform bill has been Endorsed oy
the City Club and the Good Government Clubs OF
New-YOrk the Municipal League Of Rochester the
Municipal League OF Schenectady. the Central Labor
Union OF Schenectady, and other like organizations
Mr. Sanger feels certain that the more carefully
the provisions of this bill studied, the more
heartily will the principles upon which it is drawn
be approved.
II will be remembered that about month ago a
special investigating committee Of the Senate which
had as its members Senators Edmund OConnor'
Charles T. Saxton and Martin r. Mcmahon, made
report upon the result OF their exam
inaton of the Civil Service of the state last sum-
mer This report showed gross evasions of the
spirit and letter of Civil Service regulations. The
special committee therefore presented a carefully
drawn bill TO reform the Civil Service laws. The
bill creates a paid Civil Service Commission ana
brings the Civil Service Of the cities under the
supervision OF the State much closer than il now
the case. AssemTyman Sanger has introduced this
bill in the Assembly and is pushing It there in con-
junction with the Corrupt Practices act. Regarding
these two bills, Mr.. Sanger said:
My experience in politics has steadily strength,
ened me CONVICTION ina, an noae9s aG seTc
rules 20 the subordinate positions in the public ser
.his country A thorough and persistent agitation
Of this question with a dispassionate discussion
of its bearing our political life. is of the utmost
understand the issue which is, presented Mr.
a Corrupt Practices act which was too advanced
%r ad aTS GnE Ts oFS n93 ha ordd de
tain amendments to this Chapman bill which limit
week. Should II fail Of passage. the bin which !
introduced in the Committee on Codes may be
Ing in detail all the moneys promised contributed
or expended by any person. partnership association;
committee or byA candidate directly or indirectly
in connection with an election This bill; If passed
would insure publicity in regard 10 election eX-
pendtures, and this would be step in the direc-
ton OF cneckng ,hT sXcesSve use pI money n IN
most every one deplores.
Mr. Sanger thinks of adding to his labors upon
these measures another task OF large proportions,
namely. that OF Initiating a movement for i'm
provement of the methods of doing business in the
Legislature At present the desks Of the members
of the Assembly heaped high With the bills
which have been introduced. over 800 bills have
been introduced and printed in the Assembly. and
1900 measures in the Senate. When these meas
up the order Of third reading IL is i'm
possible TO the files OF bills fast enough
TO keep track of them. As consequence the
Senate and Assembly acting upon most meas
ures before them without any knowledge Of their
character. Mr.. Sanger is drawing up a biz for
the establishment of a nOn-paid commission TO
determine If the methods Of legislation cannot be
improved and made more ineligible. He says
that the commission certainly would recommend
that the daily calendar of bills upon the order Of
third reading be edited so as 10 give summary
of every bill to be ac;el upon that day. II this
were done Senator's and Assemb.ymen could
least understand the nature q the bills upon which
they called upon - act. Mr.. Sanger also
would have Legislative attorney appointed TO
draw up bills in proper legal form for members,
and thus much time for committees