New-York tribune., 1896-04-08
no SURRENDER or NIAGARA.

The legislature Is showing itself singuarly
impcrvious TO public opinion in some important
matters 4 striking instance Is Senator Els
worth's bill to transfer the control of the Niagara
Falls Reservation from the hands OF the ell
cicnt and pubic-spiritcd commission. in whose
monacemcnt every one has confidence to mat
of the Fisheries Game and Forest Commission.
which is well known 10 be in sympathy with
the politcal methods of the machine.
So soon as attention was called to the nature
of this bill the entire press of the State. except
the portion that is completely subscrvl"nt 10
the machine united in strong protest against
the measure The nature and purposes OF the
corporations whose influence was behind the
bill were pointed out-thc repeated efforts they
had made to cncroach upon the domain that the
State had taken and restored at great expense.
the persistence with which they had attempted
TO overcome the sturdy resistance Of the Rcscr-
walton Commissioners TO their vandal plans and
their final resort to this kind of legislation in
the expectation of finding commission through
whom their ends could be served This indis-
nant outburst came from the most influential
journals. wthou, regard to party, and reflected
the general public opinion.
But the Senate goes on. with utter disregard
the favorable report Of the committee to which
the bill was referred. and then to order ii to Il
third reading The fact that the BILL If it be-
comes a law. will take the Reservation out Of It's
present non-parsan control and place II where
1t can be made to serve the purposes OF poll
tcians appears to be the supreme consideration
in the minds Of the majority of the Senators.
If they think the people Indifferent upon this
subject because there have been no public meet
incs in opposition and no delegations Of citizens
at Albany TO argue against the bill there is
likely To he a rude awakening NJ iuSl.firation
for the measure has been offered because none
can he. and the people drc aware that lis OBJ
jccls are TO remove the obstacle that the pres
cnt commission has proven itself 10 be- IN the
way Of indcfcnsiblc corporate schemes AMI 10
surrender the petty political patronage Of the
Reservation Ia those who now contr" the Re
publican party machinery in this State.
Short aS the public memory j respecting lcGis-
lativc matters of minor importance, the people
have many times shown that they do not forget
such betrayal AZ this Of interests that are dear
70 them. II may bc said tha their love and
Pride for Niagara Falls and the Reservation
iS Il mere matter Of sentiment that readily
yields 10 more practical considerations. But
just because II is a matter Of sentiment VIII II
he found. as II has nj other times been found.
a dangerous thing to NEEDLE with. The Rcpub-
lican party Is in power AT Albany. and II Will be
held responsible even more this Presidential
year than ordinarily foI its Use of that power.
lis representatives In the Legislature coull
scarcely do anything during the rest of the pres
cnt session that would arouse more general In
dlgnatlon or that would do more harm 10 the
party than the passage Of this unjusiliiablc
measure Every Senator or Asscmblyman who
votes for 1t Is serving his party badly because
! serving his State badly