The Washington bee. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1884-1922, 1895-11-23

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most capable minority leaders that has
ever been seen in Albany.
Although the Senate Is the higher,
and in some respects the most impor-
tant branch Of the Legislature, and al
though. unlike any of their predeces-
sors. the present Senators will hold Of
fee for three years. there is not sc
much popular interest in it's organiza-
ton as in that of the Assembly. The
Aieutenant-Governo Will be the pre-
siding officer, and will appoint the com
mittees. But President pro tempol
will be elected by the Senators. 1t now
seems probable that Senator Lexow
will preside in the absence of the Lieu
tenant-Governor, and that he will be
the majority leader on the floor.
Mr.. Lexow achieved fame through his
investigation Of the New York Police
Department, which he conducted witt
much ability, even though he subse
ouently failed to meet the expectations
Of DR.. Parkhurst and the Committee OF
Seventy in framing the legislation
which followed. AS the Republican
leader in the Senate, he will have
charge Of all the legislation for the
great city, including that which is ex-
pected to unite Brooklyn, Staten Island
and several of the Westchester towns
in the Greater New York.
The minority in the Senate viii be
marshalled as heretofore under the ex-
perienced leadership of Senator Cantor.
1t was not the Senator's wish to return
to Albany this year. In fact, he wanted
something better and easier. The pay
Of &c OFT
a New York lawyer. Even a country
lawyer usually finds that it does not
compensate him, pecuniarially speak
ing, to leave his practice and spend
four or five months in Albany. But
Senator Cantor has been appealed to
year after year to do this and he has
consented, hoping that the time might
come when he could go to Congress or
obtain a commissionership or judge
ship Of one of the city courts.
Just now his hopes seem to be dashed.
for he is seated in the Senate with
three years term before him, and his
party has been badly beaten at every
point except in New York city.
The canal appropriation, it seems, be-
comes operative at once, and requires
no further legislation. The nine mil
lions to be expended is to be raised by
the issue of bonds running about six
teen years, and an annual tax levy OF
thirteen mills on the dollar of the
States valuation is expected to pay
the interest and, with the premiums
for which the bonds sell, supply sink
ing fund sufficient to pay the bonds at
maturity. The work of charging the
canals will furnish employment to
large number of men. 1t will all be
done under the direction of the Super
intendent of Public Works, and most
of it will be let by contract. The State
Engineer is already at work on the pre-
liminary plans, and the great improve
ment is to be pushed with all possible
speed.
The majority by which this canal inn
provement scheme was endorsed by the
people is overwhelming, and this fact
illustrates what may be accomplished
by appeals to the people through the
press. The advocates of the improve
ment conducted a literary bureau
and for some months previous to cleo
ton they caused information to be
published respecting the canals, thelI
value and cost, in hundreds OF news
papers Great stress was put upon the
fact that commerce is being diverted
from New York city, and the argument
was advanced that the Improvement oil
the canals can alone prevent this be-
coming a permanent injury to all its
business interests. There was, of
course, some opposition to the expen-
diture of more money on the canals,
but this opposition was uunorganlzed.
and it did very little to combat the az
guments of the aggressive canal men
as the results Of the voting clearly
indicate.
The adoption of this canal improve
ment scheme undoubtedly means ali
abandonment of the movement for
ship canal and the adoption of steel
canal boats or barges sufficiently strong
to navigate the lakes. These Will be
propelled by electricity through ths
canals, as the recent experiments have
fully demonstrated the practicability OF
it's application for this purpose
Many of the best informed business
men believe that we are now entering
upon an era of great commercial anG
industrial activity, and the improve
ment of the canal, with the other i'm
provements incidental thereto, Will GER
tainly augment this activity materially.
S. F. r. Coe.