New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-01


business as political road agents" They are
holding up more bills IN the Legislature than
other men Of their class have ever before sue
cessfuy prevented from reaching the Governor
of the State What are the bills which are thus
obstructed by them? The CHIEF are:
The New-York Police Magistrates measure.
The Legal Sales bill
The New-York Education bill
The New-York Department OF Charities bill.
All Of these bills except the last are in the
tight grasp of legislative committees; and by
a combination of Mr. Platts Republican ad-
herents and Mr.. Croker's Democratic followers
are held by them The obvious intent is In some
cases to have the measures held by the commit
tees until the Legislature adjourns. or to defer
action upon them 50 long that it will be impos-
sbe to get them through both houses OF the
Legislature.
The committee which is mainly responsible for
these .'hold-ups' Is the Judiciary Committee OF
the Senate There both Mr.. Platt and Mr.
Croker are strong 1t has as its members the
following men:
HENRY j. cOGGEsHALL RepJ. watervtlla
JOSEPH MuLLiN Rep1, Watertown.
cEAREEfREF AEERF tEN2T r. PSNB BeP Rep SyffS fSckpor
JOHN RAINES Rep), Canandaigua:
MARTIN T MeMAHoN DEM. NeM-YOrk.
JACOB \. CANTOR Dem.), New-fork
on this committee are four Platt Republican,
OConnor Coggeshall. Lexow and Raines, and
two Croker Democrats. Mcmahon and Cantor.
There is therefore, a large majority OF Platt-
Croker men: and people here have not been sur
prsed at the inactivity Of the committee in re-
gard TO the Police Magistrates bill and the Le-
gal Sales measure. Both OF these measures have
been I'm It's possession for two months. Senator
I.exow introduced on January IA the Police Mag
istratcs bill giving Mayer Strong. OF New-York,
the authority 10 remove all corrupt Tammany
Hall police justices. From that time to this
Senator Lexow to all outward appearances, has
not made the slightest attempt to wrench this
bill Of his out of the hands Of the judiciary COM
mlttee Meanwhile the Assembly has acted upon
the same bill. 1t was introduced in that body by
Judson Lawson on January 10, and on March 20
was passed II may be remembered that on
March % Governor Morton addressed his sting
ing rebuke TO the Legislature upon its neglect to
pass this act although 1t had been introduced ten
weeks before In the course OF his message to
the Legislature concerning this bill Mr.. Morton
sadl q
There has been measure before this Legisie-
ture which more deeply interests the people Of New:
York City II is widely, perhaps generally, believes
ioaay oSi 'T@s prscca i" denial of Justice Il Is these
inferior criminal courts. the very sources OF tne
especially look for protection from oppression and
wrong When these fountains OF justice are poll
culation. therefore recommend the early passage
OF the Police Magistrates act so called
on the very night this message Of Governor
Morton's was read to H. the Assembly passed
the act On the following day, March 26. the bill
was sent to the Senate. and by 1t was referred
to the judiciary Committee. which already had
in its possession Lexows bill on the same SUBJ
ject II might naturally have been expected, in
view Of Governor Morton's message that the
committee would take immediate action upon the
measure The contrary the case. The Cow
ernor's message may be said to have been treated
with contemptuous Indifference by this Platt
Committee. The committee did not act upon the
measure at all last week on Thursday, March 2S
three days after the Governors message and
two days after the bill came into the pos
session of the Senate Judiciary Committee,
statement was made about the bill by Senator
O'Connor. acting as chairman Of the committee
What il? That the committee had taken
vote on the bill. which had practically been in
its hands over two months? Not at all. What
he did state was that the committee would give
a hearing or the Assembly Dn! on lhuTsddy,
April l."
ferred for week. Mr.. OConnor, Of course. was
aware that the Assembly bill in its present form
had been reported by the Assembly Committee
on Cities on March s. and therefore that he lad
had three weeks in which to make the Senate bill
conform TO the trivial amendments made 10 II.
The Senate bill could have been reported favor
ably. and put upon the calendar. ready FOR SUBJ
stitution for the Assembly measure, and thus its
passage would have been greatly expedited. In
waiting until the Assembly bill came over before
taking any action upon the matter. Senator
OConnor thus has greatly delayed action upon IL.
And who are the men VINO are TO De ra neafI RON on
Elbrdge T. Gerry and the same Tammany Han
police Justices and Tammany Hall Republicans,
acting as police justices, who were here three
weeks ago before the Assembly Committee on
Cities. and made the stock arguments against
abolishing the present Board of Police Magis-
trates The deferring OF the hearing until near
the end OF the present week cannot but be in
terpreted as action Intentionally in the inter-
est OF the Police Justices. The bill now cannot
possibly get before the Senate until Friday.
April 8 nor be acted upon by the Senate finally
before "Wednesday. April 10 Governor Mortons
message regarding this bill was read to the
Senate on March 25. The Platt-Croker alliance
thus will be able TO defer for two and half
weeks any action upon the bill In which Re-
publican Governor has shown sucn Keen personal
interest Richard Crokers influence with Thomas
c Platt must be great. indeed, when he can thus
induce Plat to put this dffront upon Governor
Morton.
Patt's aid to lock up the Legal Sales bill In the
Senate judiciary Committee for the last six
weeks. This bill transfers from No. III Broad:
way TO No SO Liberty-st. the legal sales OF real
estate in NewrYork. The holding OF these sales
was taken away from the Real Estate EXCHANGE
at No 50 I.berty-st. by order OF Ricnard
Croker and was given to his partner In the real
estate business. Peter F. Meyer. The reform
sentiment OF New-York demands that this Dill
be passed. 1t was introduced In the Assembly
bv MIR Pavey on January 9. and was passed In
that body on February l3. 1t reached the Senate
on February IA. and has ever since been In the
nossession of the Senate judiciary Committee.
Croker boasts in New-York that the bill Is dead.
and that IS the general belief here.
Mr. Pavey also introduced the bill OF the Com.
mIttee OF seventy reforming the school sys stem OF
This has been in the hands OF the
Committee on Public Education OF the Assembly
since its introduction on January 10. Mr.. Platt,
1t is reported. sent letter mere uirec'ihs tnat
this measure be hung up" /aJ
The bill OF Mr. Pavey, separating the Dena4-
ment of Charities and Correction OF New-Yore
into two departments. one to have charge or the
charitable institutions. and the other to manage
the penal institutions, was introduced on January
90 After several weeks detention in an Assem- .