New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-13
OvERRIDDEN.
rny TELEGRAPH TO THE rnrsuxr.1


ovERRIDDEN.
[BY TELEGRAPH THE rRYBUNEl
Albany, March 12.-Speaker Fish exerted all hiS
power to-day presiding officer OF the Assembly.
and managed to pass the Raines Liquor-Tax bill
by a vote OF 81 to So TIE Speaker evidently
thought that he compelled to adopt rather
violent tactics to pass the obnoxious measure.
since he had the doors OF the Assembly chamber
locked and held the Democrats and most Of the
Republicans prisoners for several hours until
he had secured vote upon the bill. A foreigner
surveying for the first time the workings Of
parliamentary institutions in the leading State
Of the Union would have been astonished, no
doubt to see members Of the Republican ma
jority meekly applying to the Speaker for tickets
OF leave" for a few moments in order to get
luncheon, and then departing from the Assembly
chamber by a secret door In the Speakers room,
while the front door Of the Assembly, and, In
deed every other door, was locked and guarded.
The members Of the Assembly who were o9-
posed to the Raines bill. both Republicans and
Democrats are In doubt tonight whether the
bill was passed under circumstances required By
the Constitution. Section II Of Article III OF the
Constitution says: Each house shall keep
Journal Of It's proceedings and publish the same
except such parts may require secrecy. The
doors OF each house shall be kept open. except
when the public welfare shall require secrecy"
WHEN THE DOORS MAY BE CLOSED.
No one can say that "the public welfare" ~
quired that the doors Of the Assembly chamoer
should be kept closed and the Assemblymen i'm
prisoned for seven hours while the Raines bill
was under debate The Senate holds executive
sessions while considering nominations made By
the Governor but every one sees the propriety
sS~
calr' in progress Of the members OF the Assem-
bly, there Is reason for keeping the doors OF the
Assembly chamber shut but as soon as the
calp' is over and the members Of the Assembly
are at work upon ordinary legislative business
the Constitution plainly Intends that the doors
OF the Assembly chamber be kept open and the
Assemblymen have their customary liberty.
Moreover the voters Of the State have right to
keep up communication with their representatives
in the Assembly. If the doors OF the Assembly
chamber are kept locked while legislation Is In
progress this right is necessarily ended.
The Assembly debated the bill from 10 q. m.
until p. m. but 1t cannot be said that any
thing that said will put the Raines bill in .
better light before the voters OF the State As
semblyman Kempner made the chief speech for
the Democratic minority against the BILL
MR. ALLDs DEFENDS THE BILL.
The ablest speech in supper. OF the measure
was made by Mr.. Aids Of Chenango County. the
chairman OF the Assembly Excise Committee,
who had made a special study Of the excise laws
of this State and other States and their opera
tons He argued that the Raines bill was an
improvement upon the excise law Of 1892. since
II abolished the Boards Of Excise. which. in his
opinion. are centres Of political blackmail. II
had severe provisions. but these were necessary
II the law was be respected.
Mr. Aids excused the creation Of sixty excise
inspectors on the ground that II was necessary
that there should be force Of State officials to
see to It that the law enforced. II Ohio.
which has a similar liquor law, manages to
collect over 81 900. 900 without having such poti-
cal parasites attached to her tax system. why
is II necessary for New-York TO have them?
SPEECHES IN OPPOSITION.
The speeches in opposition to the bill
made by John B. Stanchfeld. the Democratic
leader; by Messrs. Babcock. Republican. OF
Chautauqua County: Brennan. Republican, Of
Kings County; Forester. OF Kings County:
French Republican. OF New York Murphy, Re-
publican. Of New-York Steiner. Republican Of
Erie County; Laimbeer. Republican. Of New
York; wagstar. Republican. of Kings County.
and Butts. Donnelly and Kempner. Of New
York. Democrats.
The speeches OF the Republicans In opposition
were especially significant. Mr.. Babcock said
ne could not faithfully represent his constitu-
ents Of Chautauqua County by voting for the
bill Mr.. Brennan said he did not believe IL
to be to the interest of the Republican party to
pass the bill Mr.. French declared that "a few
Republican party leaders had made the Raines
bill a party measure" but not the Republican
voters Of the State. The Republican County
Committee Of New-York City had not dared to
say word in its favor.
Mr. Murphy said he opposed to the bill
because he considered 1t an un-RpubIican
measure and not desired by a majority OF the
Republicans Of the State. Il oppose this DILL
said Mr. Steiner. of Erie County. because ]
know that any measure which cannot run tne
gantet OF the $50 judicial minds OF the ASSEM-
bly, without the screws OF caucus being ap-
piled is not fit legislation to thrust upon
the people OF the State" Mr. Laimbeer, OK New.
York said the bill contained a large numoer ot
provisions which the Republican party could
not approve Of and therefore he was opposed TO
II. A.,
There were hfty-nne votes cast against tho
MEASURE The Republicans who opposed 1t were
Adler of New-York: Babcock, of Chautauqua:
Blasdell and Brann, OF Erie; Deiraw ana a FOR.
Erie. Hughes OF Kings; Laimbeer and
Murphy, of New-York; Peevers c. Smith.
Snringweiler and Steiner. OF Erie and Wagstan.
Of Kings There were thus sixteen Republicans
uho stood out against the bill. But for caucus
pre- ssure undoubtedly the bill would have been
beaten.
THE PROCEEDINGS IN DETAIL.
Albany March l2.-The Raines Liquor Tax bin
was 10 be taken up Immediately upon the conven-
Ing Of the Assembly to-day. and with that end in
view Mr. OGrady the Republican leader on the