New-York tribune., 1896-12-26

fion at he t,it-
ties Mr.. Choate and the other oyaS eaenS hat the
can members of the Convention bensvsdi tcnnntios
d hsa danr~nd ought 10 be returned TO them
this was done by the Legislative ApPo'"o''
II was also made impossible for New n forH one m,u
Brooklyn at any time TO have more iSrass ,hs,,a On
ns 9l noron az ,he Of the Republican
members said Before another CS !, s prob-
able that the cities of New-York ar ana Nil
or the greater city " f95fa sS aSants of the State
If the present system continues they sors W. ma
TO OrE elect t, The The and she majority As
sembly Both by force Of numbers ana nd ps 1.oD co
hrsinr among the representatives from slnsnt
county responsible tn to ho sinSe nSs absolutely 10
control the government Of the sIade ne ne
will be the consequence OF compeHs my Wew YORK
TO the St Lawrence and to Lake Erie Win os noS
varied interests continents mbab,tants nho Of the
city. submit to such domination sn naorroaoent
welfare Of the State? Our opinion is that II would
not and that the provision when secuesS ~ S ons
house Of the legislature. leaving to the city such
control its numbers may give nn, Over .r ,s
slender enough safeguard against so unfortunate
a result
STATE AND NATIONAL ISSUES DIVORCED
Another great feature OF the new Constitution
a. adopted under Mr. Choate's guidance was lis
separation OF city from State and National cleo
tions. Further safeguards against abuses III ies-
isative procedure were provided by a requirement.
that all bills shall he printed in their hnai form
ut least three days before their passage, py q pro-
vision that notices shall be given to munlcpai au,
thorites before special acts shall take effect; ana
by the iii of the Ue o ,S of T%M erssuTc EF
still another excellent provision or the new on oon+
stntion was that the puh,dd 'nqs hs IN nxcslence o.
that provision shown the present year ny d
desperate effort to amend the Constitution IN 'ha'
The new Constitution also extended the prohll
% Ing the right Of recovery for Injuries causing
the elective franchise by prescribing a period OF
ninety instead Of ten days of prSHaT ocer
should be equally divided between the Two M nrihD, &
paavemen pa1 enrsS Of S ths e canals % @ the state,
Lastly, the new Constitution conpiot.eS linnu i,5i
fNne the icia system by giving Appellate
Supreme Courts the authority to pass upon que55
TO the decision of questions of law the general in
tent OF the changes being to SECURE Of stce
uniform and effective ADMINISTRATION VI Ju'''e
throughout the State
MR.. CHOATE TO THE CONVENTION
81; Mr. Choate. presiding officer. made speech
tust before declaring the Constitutional Conreh'
ton adjourned finally. in which he summed up
the aims Of It's members in an interesting way
He sad
Gentlemen. before the motion TO aaSOurn se wnrds Is
10 you in the nature of farewell IT Is now near
X an 90 oa,n IN 10 10 PTsaes TO this Con-
vention and | think may look back upon that
long period Of protracted and arduous labor anu
without any pride saS or bS we Fave w ahy at
tempted to discharge the duties % so assumed ASST . we
nnnd g @ re 10 decide ecH in the place
the great question whether we SHOULD 4evise s "a a
merely repair enlarge and improve that ancien;
structure under which its people had proSpsrea pS% Ss
but one answer 10 that question. We had only 10
Sefects ts which the ravages Of time had made, the
improvements and additions which the progress OF
civilization demanded. and TO apply our WISDOM 81
far as might in the work OF Improvement anu
rensir sG,. than 40 amendments were proposed to it.
In my Judgment one of the greatest services that
have rendered one OF the grestest Sh eisids @ 10
= csn~put forth, is that OF those more than w. we
have adopted only thirty-hree We have ,1 demon mon
vention mindful OF the value of the experience OF
the past and Of the precious value of the institu-
lions which our fathers had handed down to US
Il. I'VE found at the outset four or hve sreat sun SUP
cised. and in regard to which II seemed necessary
- that. should apply the imprcvms hand: we
have done 1t to the best of our ability WIN one
exception all these have receiyed the joint support
of the delegates. may say without regard rarU 10
Walton Of our judicial system. the system upon
which the happiness and welfare OF the peopie
Constitution of the State. We have endeayored 10
give to the people of the State judicial system
which shall answer their purposes a; least for tae
next twenty years We believe that if they will
take up the judiciary Article and examine II
they win find that the object Of this Convention
has been successfully accomplished. namely, by
Of it TO bring justice home to the doors OF
more promptly, more efficiently. than 1t has ever
"And then there was our common-school system
that other foundation Of civilization itsei OF Whicn
the people OF this State so proudly S9aH, 81 we we
, ia ablishment throughout this State OF common
schools in which all the children OF the stare may
ton We have guarded against that danger which
had excited so much apprehension within tne DOT DOT
ders of this Commonweath tnat perhaps 'hsrs
was already beginning. and likely 10 continue anu
10 govern diversion OF monsy rsed Ds AND coU
troll All that have successfully ana. as pe,
lieve, absolutely accomplished by our Educationai
Article.
ADMINISTRATION OF CHARITIES.
There was another subject which deeply agitated
the minds Of the people of this State and that was
,be anplication OF public money in the way Of pri-
yate charity BY many who had not carefully ex-
amned the subject 1t was believed to be inherently
an evil which could only be cured by cutting 1t out
nv the roots. We have, through our Charities
Committee most carefully examined that question:
and we came 10 the conclusion that the system
which the State had deliberately adopted and care
fully followed now for than twenty years. OF
EMPLOYING the aid of honest. faithful. devoted pri-
vae charitable institutions for the care OF certain
wards OF the State that could not otherwise be as
well cared for. ought not 10 be departed from but
az the same time there abuses incident TO the
conduct OF that mode of charity TO which at least
q stop should he put; and we have deprived the
legislature OF all compulsory power in the matter
p tJareafter II this Constitution IS adopted no sub
ordinate division of the State can be compelled by
the central power of the State TO devote dollar
~ its money against Its will. any particular
yorm of charity Besides that we have secured the
os,,stion OF The State Board Of Charities TO this
ercct. That whenever any public money Is devoted
10 a private charity for the public service II shai
Continue under public control, and the vigant eye
and The strong arm of the people shall be able 10
follow every dollar OF the public money into every
4. Institution TO which 1t is devoted -
i"There is one subject of vast Importance upon
which we have not been able In like manner 10
"srSa v.fhout distinction OF political preference.
Uni as 10 this, let me say that while, as be.
ieve upon the one side. happening TO be one OF
the majority that the scheme OF apporionmen'
has been devised with pure and patriotic eye
FOR the public good. believing that the best WEI