New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-30
THE WORK OF THE SESSION.
REVIEWED BY LIEUTENANT-GOVERN
sAXTON AND SENATOR CANTOR.
THE FORMER DAMNs THE LEGISLATURE WITH
FAINT PRAISE AND THE LATTER. OF

FAINT PRAISE AND THE LATTER Or
COURSE. CONDEMNS 1T UTTERLY.
Albany, April 29.-LieutenantGo Governor Sax'oh To-
day. in commenting on the work OF the present Leg
isature said: THE record Of the Legislature tha'
is drawing to a close is fair one upon the whole
There has been a great deal of criticism upon 'i'e
Ranes Excise measure and nearly everybody VIII
say that It should be changed In one way or an
other but its main features are generally Approved
by the people or course. final judgment mas "o'
yet been passed upon IT. am or the opihon' Nv"
ever that such judgment will be favorable pro'oeu
II shall be administered fairly and honestly but IL
will certainly be condemned II 1t be mace an III
strument TO serve partisan or factiQpal purposes
1.-The Greater New-York bill is the other grea'
measure OF the session. My opinion upon that quss-
ton has been expressed frequently. do not care
10 talk about a matter that has become an accom-
pI!shed fact but / wish to say this-it has become
evident within the last few days that the organiAd-
tion did not care a brass farthng about the Dill
itself The bill intended merely ms proiosue
TO the play The purpose was TO lay the rouhoa'loh
upon which to erect supplementary legislation "h'ch
was to give power and patronage into the names CT
the machine. The failure of the scheme is ehlehy
due to the good sense and patriotic spirit OF Gov
ernor Morton
Leaving those two measures out OF account 'he
Legislature has made very good record. athoush
its achievements have not come up TO the expeSa-
tons Of those who realized the high average char'c-
and ability or It's llulN!iudi IHVhi'V'"
comes from the fact that In many instances we'll
meaning LEGISLATORS have subordinated their own
Judgment to the judgment of irresponsible OUTSIDERS
But Notwithstanding this. there were no dlsthct!
vicious measures enacted into law that recall
This is mere negative praise. and the Legislature
of 1896 Is entitled to more than that IL accopis"r
some very good work. indeed, In passing inc ANU
Trust bills the Elevated Car Lighting bill. the New
York City School Reform bill. the Sweatshop DILL
the Ballot Law amendments and other measures
that might mention.
ION the other hand 1t failed to act favorably upon
some very desirable bills notably the Sanger amend
mens TO the Corrupt Practices act ana the Dill 10
provide improved methods Of legislation.
Senator Cantor the Democratic leader, In dwelling
upon the same subject, said: The record or the
present Legislature has been most infamous l's
whole career has been marked by an exu.tant ana
arbitrary effort to successfully disregard the VIII Oh
the people in various localities and TO acquire pat
ronage From the opening of the session down 10
the close Republican leaders In both houses nave
repeatedly violated every principle OF parliamentary
law have trampled upon the rules anu Vioih'e' 'es
islative decency and propriety.
II have never known session In when THESE
matters have been marked as In TINS one pe
lievng that they were so Thoroughly in"ei'o'e' IA
power BY reason Of It's being Presidential year.
the Republicans have snapped their fingers at the
people, have ignored their plain mandates ana nave
thrust upon cities IN spite Of proresh,,
which repudiaed by the Ioca. autnoi .,.,
There Is not an instance throughout me session
in which the refusal of the local Authorizes ~ i a.
cept bill has been respected by me malorly.
They nullifed practically. the recently adopted con,
stltutona amendment In this respect ana ~n',n
was intended by its trainers and by tne PeoPit 70
exercise some influence at least upon the tesls'1,
ure. The Republican party can. thereiorte; De
charged with deliberate violation or the doctte oi
home rule and OF arrogating TO itse,t the s9Ie ni
exclusive charge OF municipal matters Oh
I'm the passage OF the various police bills. notice
ably that Of Albany has punsed me b' ne wo 81
the bills contain the same provisions but were
drafted differently. in order to meet me require,
ments of the party In the respective localities anu
all OF these bills violate constitutional require
ments ,, ,r, 49, r1.,,,,cor
Of the moneys TO which they entitled. but has
plunged the whole liquor traffic into the worst sort
thirst for power has even invaded the hospitals ana
asylums OF the State and made them tender 70
ali the managers They vanly endeavored TO cap
ture the Niagara Reservation:
THE Greater New-York BILL now in the hands OF
the Governor, seems be insufficient to meet the
requirements OF the party. and SO, IN order thal tne
charter for the new city shall give RepuDhcan poll
tlcians chance to get party ADVANTAGE they EN-
purpose Of watching and steering the Commission
1.-The people will remember. what a determined e.
bills and legislation of similar character INTENDED
to destroy the trusts growing up In this state. In
nent law firm closely allied TO the Republican leader
OF the State, which sought by the exercise OF poi-
cal power to enrich Itself. ~
boss of the State in the most autocratic and tyran-
nical way Bills were not passed upon the de-
liberate Judgment OF Senators and Assembly men.
but upon orders from headquarters and the people
IL they had simply conferred upon him, pub
lie Official the extraordinary power he exercised in
private life There never has been such boss-rid-
len Legislature"