New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-18
THE CHANGING UP" POLICY.
sIr1.s WHICH ARE ON THE. Pies OF Leg
1sLArIvE COMMITTEE ROOMS

ASSEMBLY TO GAIN FRACTIONAL Nd
vANrAGEs IN ALBANy COUNTY.
4, copprsPoSpENro or THE rRIBUNE.l
Albany March i7.-It rs nov two mohths anu
, ~, IT, ,bn legislature met. but. with the en-
con,Ion If the Power OF Removal bill none OF tue
New-York reform measures nave Deen p"'S''
Thomas G. Plat is the obstacle Ihe p'iiS al.
..held up by his supporters IN the Lesis!" to'e "
the p,,rposc Of -extorting promises OF ba,rohase
from Mayor Strong 49,. A.,
Il might with some reason be suspected that MI
TIatt had taken a contract from Tammany han 10
preyent any reformation :of the Police Depaftihe"',
OF the Department OF -Ednca ion and on Inc nod'I
OF Police Justices. aud that in adoluen ne ia"
nyom,sed Richard Croker that the bill should no'
pass Which takes out of his hands the iesai saies
NJ real estate and sends them back TO the Real
Estate Exchange at No. e. Liberty-st. Ihe Reai
Estate Exchange bill has been hung up lot
month in the room or the senate Judiciary ON
mt,ee and there seems little Likelihood OF i's man
ing any further progress. 1t was passed by tnf
Assembly by good vote but The dessn was u
,o.ke tho senate its "saughter-house,' and this
Man so far has been successful The Tammahy
Hall senators have already shown their srall'uue
by helping Mr. Plat TO pass the Broehlsh Aloei
manic bill increasing the political power OF jacob
worth Mr.. Plau:s lieutenant in Brooklyn; and
the Tammany Hall Assemblymen disclosed the fact
that they also are aware OF TINS comoihauoh ny
voting for the bill which gives the Kings county
boss the control OF the Department OF Charlues ana
Corrections in that county
a fortnight has now passed since Mr Piatts
Iieutenants we're saying that the bill authorizing
Mayor strong to remove the Tammany Hall police
justices would be passed at once. They protested
that so far as this measure was concerned at
least. they were not warning against Mayor strong.
The Assembly Committee on Cities, controlled ny
Mr. Platts followers reported the bill favoraoly
ON March g Since then it has not been touched by
u,ola leCiG-
la,ive week has gone by and yet the Assembly
neglecs to pass the bill 1t is obvious that the pro-
gramme OF the Plat men is 10 defer its passage by
the Assembly to late date as possible 1t is
reported good authority that one OF the reasons
of this delay IS that the Plat leaders intend TO
Kill the bill in the Senate.
The Committee OF Seventy's bill giving Mayor
Strong authority to reform the Department of Ed
ucation is pigeonholed by me Assembly Committee
on Public Education. Mr.. Piatt has written a let
ordering this TO be done.
THE LEXOW POLICE BILLS.
Meanwhile the changes made by the Lexow Com
mittee in the bills regarding the Police Department
can only De regarded an attack upon Mayor
Strong 1t will be remembered that the Police Rea
organization bill at first provided that the Police
REORGANIZATION Commission should consist of three
persons to be appointed by the Governor and the
Senate. Governor Morton interfered with this plan
and insisted that Mayor Strong should have the
naming Of the commission. Senator b~xow re-
luctantly compiled with this demand and modified
his bill In this particular But this arrangement
was not satisfactory either 10 the Plat Republicans
or 10 their Tammany Hall allies Under It Mayor
Strong would probably appoint two Republicans ana
ore Democrat a member OF the Reorganization
Commission, and then there would follow the dlsIns-
sal from the Police Department Of scores of corrupt
Tammany Hall policemen. This would be dread
full experience for Tammany Hail and for Tammany
Hall Republicans. To head it off bill was drawn
up giving this power of reorganization to two Re
publicans and to two Democrats. This bill was IN
PRODUCED on Friday. Under such a constitution or
the Police Reorganization Commission the Platt Re-
pubicans believe there will be many deadlocks over
PROPOSITIONS TO dismiss policemen. and consequently
rAanv of their Tammany allies will be saved from
/, oficial decapitation
FIGHTING FOR ALBANY COUNTY OFFICES.
Mr. Plat is seeking patronage in Albany County
al the expense of the Republican voters ana ON
Gals. His lieutenant here. William Barnes. Jr, mas
had bill introduced which practically gives MN
authority to name the Penitentiary Commission OF
the county. whose members appoint about forty
officials The commission now consists OF the DIS
trict-Attorney, the County Treasurer and COM
missioner appointed by the chairman OF the board
of Supervisors. All these officials are Republicans
Mr. Barnes asks the Legislature to pass an act
changing the membership Of the commission IN
order that he may the new men. He would
like TO use Republican Legislature 10 make war
upon one set OF Republican officials at the expense
of others II incredible that Governor Nor
ton would sign such a bill. II it ever reaches him;
and 1t Is surprising that Senators Pound, ROBERT
son and Lamy, forming 1.-THE Republican majority OF
the Committee on State Prisons, should have re-
ported the bill favorably as they did on Friday
THE ALBANY PENITENTIARY
The Peni,entiary Of Albany County was formerly
under the control of the Mayor and Recorder OF
the city of Albany and the Board OF Supervisors OF
the county. forming a joint board This board
elected the superintendent and also two inspectors
whose duty it 10 supervise the management o.
the superint edent inspect his accounts and report
10 the Joint board Scandals arose from time TO
time over the election of the superintendent and =
was alleged that the supervision OF the inspectors
was lax in the year 1855 what was known as the
Committee of Thirteen OF the Citizens Association
Of the city of Albany procured the passage OF a
law vesting the management In a commission, as
at present constituted The Legislature which
passed this law was Republican in both branches
A special feature OF the bill was the naming or the
making him in fact the treasurer of the peniten-
tiary and the custodian OF Its funds The COUNTY
eut commission consists of two Democrats ana one
Commissioners the one appointed by the chairman
OF the Board OF Supervisors. vii expire IN SePteIn
Roar9 Of Supervisors is a Republican the com
mission IN October will then consist Of two Repub
The management OF the penitentiary under h'
new system has been a marked success ana T. nov nov
ranks az one of the best penal insututlons III , IN
country There are many United States coDvict
In confinement there and il Is under the constan
and share supervision Of the Federal Department o
Jus,ice bv which IL is clasSed one Of the best
managed prisons which United States convict
are sem When the present superintendent was ap
ponted the affairs OF the penitentary were at
low ebb The Board Of Supervisors had SET apar
,he saIrn Of $1,000 meet anticipated def1cenc!
the following year, but under his MANAGEMENT no
only was no portion OF the $1,000 used. but IN
nenitentjary showed profit The receipts OF tn
pennentlary from November l. 1883. to October 81
10
showing a profit to the county OF Albany OF SIP